New app warns of dangerous products
A federal app now provides information on safety notices for hazardous foods. Consumers can report potentially dangerous products to the federal authorities online via a reporting system.
Within the framework of public warnings, product recalls and safety alerts, the distributors and the responsible authorities inform the public about dangerous products. The number of these safety notices has risen sharply in recent years for various reasons.
With immediate effect, safety information will now be published centrally via the "Recall Swiss" app. The app is aimed at all consumers in Switzerland and, according to the press release, aims to "take into account today's digital media use". In addition, the app offers the following functionalities, among others:
- A search function can be used to search specifically for safety information, for example to determine whether a particular product has been recalled.
- The app users also have the possibility to subscribe to an alert service (push messages).
Dangerous products are also identified as a result of reports from the public. Consumers can access the reporting system via an app. The reports are then transmitted electronically directly to the competent authority.
For consumers and companies, an "authority finder" has also been designed in the reporting system: online, consumers can find out which authority is responsible for a particular product with just a few clicks, according to the Federal Office of Consumer Affairs.
Among others, the following authorities were involved in the development of the app and the reporting system: BAG, BAV, BFE, BFK, BLV, ESTI, METAS and SECO.
The app is available at www.recallswiss.admin.ch. The application can be installed directly on a mobile device or PC via www.recallswiss.admin.ch/install. The warning service is available at www.recallswiss.admin.ch/alert.
Source: Federal Consumer Affairs Bureau
