Tommee Tippee Sippee spill-proof cups were one of the 13 children’s products recalled this month. Keep up with recalls by downloading a recall app

Some recalls make national news (think car seat and food recalls) but many other recalls fly under the radar; even though they are just as important. With so many products being recalled all the time (1-2 children’s products are recalled each week) how can parents and caregivers keep up?

New apps have emerged to help make checking your products for recalls much easier. For the past few months, we have been researching and testing the recall apps currently available. The 8 apps we found are listed in this handy chart. Notice the drop down boxes at the top of each column; this will allow you to filter options to see what app would work best for you and your family.  If you know of another children’s product recall app not listed here, please let us know and we will add it to the list.

When looking for a recall app, here is what you want to look out for:

  • Barcode scan function: By scanning the barcode of the product directly into the phone, this function ensures you capture the correct information about your product.
  • Up- to-date recalls: because recalls happen every day, it’s important to have the most current information. With this function you will be able to view the most recently recalled products.
  • Ability to search products in the database: Being able to search specific products makes looking up recalls a quicker process- especially if you missed a previous recall alert or if you are researching a product in particular.
  • Ease of Use: It is important to have an easy to use app. The easier it is to use, the more likely you will use it. If you download one and it doesn’t work as you wish, delete it and try another.

A functional, up to date recall app helps make keeping up with recalls easier for parents and caregivers and ultimately helps keep kids safe. Let us know which ones work best for you in comments below or on our Facebook page.  And remember, every month KID sends a recall digest poster of the most recent children’s product recalls. Also, you can search recalls on the go from KID’s mobile site. Just search KidsInDanger.org from your smartphone.