A couple of recent recalls involving technology products serve as cautionary tales for the promo industry.
myCharge has issued a recall of POWER HUB all-in-one portable chargers sold exclusively at Costco stores nationwide and through Costco.com from January 2022 through November 2023 for about $40.
- On June 20, the recall was issued for more than 560,000 units with model numbers AO10FK-A, AO10FK-B, and AO10FK-C.
The affected products weren’t sold through the promotional merchandise market, but the incident represents issues industry companies should keep top of mind.
Costly Damage
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there has been a total of 120 reports involving the portable chargers overheating.
- myCharge received five reports of incidents, including two reports of residential fires, resulting in approximately $165,000 in reported property damage.
- Costco received 115 returns of the portable chargers, mentioning melting, expanding, smoking, fire, burning, exploding or sparking.
- There have been no reports of injuries requiring medical attention.
The CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop using the recalled portable chargers and contact myCharge for a free replacement.
Furthermore, recalled lithium-ion batteries should be disposed of in accordance with any local and state ordinances.
- Consumers shouldn’t toss these batteries in the trash or deposit them in used battery recycling boxes found at various retail and home improvement stores.
- Last month, the United States House of Representatives passed legislation intended to make lithium-ion batteries safer.
Burn Injuries
Meanwhile, Baseus has issued a recall of magnetic wireless charging power banks sold via its website, Amazon.com and AliExpress.com from April 2022 through April 2024 for between $18 and $55.
- On June 27, the recall was issued for about 132,000 units with model numbers PPCXM06 and PPCXW06.
According to the CPSC, Baseus has received 171 reports of incidents, including 132 reports of bulging or swelling batteries and 39 reports of fires, resulting in 13 burn injuries and about $20,000 in property damage.
The CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop using the recalled products and contact Baseus for a full refund with proof of purchase, or a $36 cash refund without proof of purchase.
Best Practices For Product Recalls
Many promotional products contain lithium-ion batteries that could overheat and pose safety hazards. For that and other reasons, it’s essential that due diligence is conducted to ensure safety standards are met before such products reach end users.
- The CPSC has resources available to help companies determine the relevant requirements for their products.
- PPAI also has guidance available to help members prepare for a recall, among other compliance-related topics.
In May, Sun Coast Merchandise, which does business under the Sunscope brand – the No. 21 supplier in the 2024 PPAI 100 – issued a voluntary recall in Canada of a tumbler after finding a safety hazard due to a manufacturing defect.
Beyond just meeting standards, all companies need to be prepared for the possibility to issue a swift recall to mitigate any unforeseen dangers that might face end users.
