Do Millennials Pay Attention to Product Recalls and Injury Risks?

When product recalls happen in Oceanside, do most North County residents pay attention to these serious warnings? As many Californians know, products can be subject to recall when there is a serious safety defect that can result in serious and even fatal injuries. According to a recent survey conducted by SteriCycle Expert Solutions, while many people may in fact respond appropriately to news of a product recall, millennials “are the least likely among the U.S. population to say they respond positively to product recall notices.”

To be clear, young people who are often classified as millennials (typically those between the ages of 18-34) may be exposing themselves to more risk from product defects by avoiding recall notices.

Older Adults More Likely than Younger Adults to Comply with Product Recall Notices

On the whole, the survey, which gathered information from more than 1,000 Americans, determined that individuals over the age of 55 are more than twice as likely as millennials, or those aged 18 to 34, to comply when they learn about a product recall. Almost 20% of the millennials who contributed to the study admitted that they often ignore product recall notices altogether when they receive them (even after reading them), compared to only 6% of those in the baby boomer generation.

How many millennials fail to even read about recall notices? Of the notices that arrive in hard copy through the U.S. mail, 36% of millennials admit that they do not even read the recall notice before discarding it. 33% of young adults surveyed said they believe that recall notices are “not serious.” How do adults and 55 and up compare? Only 16% of individuals in that age group say they would consider discarding a recall notice without a reading it. When it comes to millennials, as the survey results explain, “the findings suggest manufacturers undergoing a recall may need to rethink their communication strategies with this demographic to improve compliance rates.”

Does the Type of Recall Make a Difference?

Does the type of recall make a difference? In other words, are millennials more likely to listen to an automobile recall over a house product safety defect issue? The survey did determine that millennials, along with the rest of Americans, tend to take food recalls and pharmaceutical recalls pretty seriously. At the same time, however, millennials did not always rush to discard dangerous items or to contact the manufacturer for a repair or replacement.

What did make a difference for millennials in terms of acting on a product recall? In short, “personal relevance” played a major role. If the respondent thought she or he was “personally at risk” for injury as a result of a product defect, the likelihood of acting increased. While this conclusion tends to perpetuate stereotypes about millennials, it could also underscore the need to frame product recalls differently.

Seek Advice from an Oceanside Product Liability Lawyer

If you or someone you love sustained injuries from a dangerous product, you should discuss your options with an Oceanside product defect lawyer as soon as you can. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more about the services we provide to North County residents.

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(image courtesy of Joey Banks)