It wasn’t just one recall. It was a cascade. In 2025, consumers across the U.S. found themselves staring at email alerts, social media warnings, and store signage announcing that products they’d bought—sometimes just weeks ago—were suddenly unsafe. From a child’s bedtime lounger to a power station in the garage, from shrimp scampi in the freezer to a lighter on the kitchen counter, the list of recalled items reads like a nightmare checklist. The Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission didn’t just issue warnings—they sounded alarms. And the common thread? Walmart and Walmart.com were on the receiving end of nearly every single one.
Food Recalls: From Shrimp to Cucumbers, the Contamination Chain
It started with Demers Food Group, which pulled Scott & Jon's Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls on November 14, 2025, after Nate's Fine Foods discovered Listeria monocytogenes in its shrimp supply. The bowls, sold at Walmart and online, were meant to be a quick weeknight meal. Instead, they became a public health concern. The FDA confirmed at least five other food recalls in 2025 tied to Listeria, including frozen pasta meals and shrimp linked to PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati—a company in Indonesia whose seafood was found contaminated with Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope that shouldn’t be anywhere near dinner plates.
Meanwhile, cucumbers from Bedner Growers Inc. in Florida were pulled over Salmonella fears. And don’t forget the English muffins. Blue Oven Bakery, Inc. of Cincinnati recalled its products on October 31 after milk—known to trigger severe allergic reactions—wasn’t listed on the label. The FDA’s 2025 food recall tally? Over 40. That’s more than in any year since 2018.
Consumer Products: Fire, Burns, and the Hidden Dangers at Home
Outside the kitchen, the risks were just as alarming. EcoFlow Technology recalled its Delta Max 2000 Power Stations on October 10 after at least three reports of overheating and fire. These portable batteries, popular with campers and remote workers, were sold exclusively on Walmart.com. Calico Brands followed suit on October 9 with its Scripto Premium Torches—a product marketed for camping and lighting grills—that failed mandatory lighter safety standards. One child suffered third-degree burns after the flame surged unexpectedly.
Then came the Hoovy Cooling Gel Insert Pads, recalled by AMTRADING on September 25. The gel, meant to cool car seats, could overheat and cause chemical burns. And in a chilling twist, Mad Rabbit recalled its RELIEVE Lidocaine Numbing Cream after two toddlers ingested small amounts and slipped into comas. The packaging? Not child-resistant. Not even close.
Even beauty products weren’t safe. Epoca International recalled the Paris Hilton Mini Beauty Fridges—a trendy, compact fridge for skincare—because the internal battery could overheat and ignite. At least one home caught fire in Arizona.
Stoves, Tires, and Baby Loungers: The CPSC’s Worst Year
The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 130 active recalls as of December 1, 2025—the highest in over a decade. The most urgent? A recall of about 201,000 stoves from multiple brands that could explode or erupt in flames during normal use. Consumers were told to stop using them immediately and return them to any Walmart store for a full refund.
Then there were the baby loungers. The Fasando model, sold at Walmart and Amazon, had sides too low to prevent infants from rolling out. The foot openings? Wider than federal safety standards allow. The CPSC confirmed two infant deaths linked to entrapment. They didn’t just ask parents to stop using them—they demanded the products be destroyed before returning for a refund.
Even tires got caught in the net. Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas, Inc. recalled over 800,000 tires—including the Open Country A/T III and Mud Grappler Extreme Terrain—after reports of tread separation at highway speeds. All were sold on Walmart.com.
Why Now? And Who’s Responsible?
Experts point to three converging pressures: supply chain fragility, cost-cutting in manufacturing, and the sheer volume of goods flowing through Amazon and Walmart. “We’ve normalized fast, cheap, and convenient,” says Dr. Elena Ruiz, a consumer safety analyst at the University of Michigan. “But when a $12 lighter or a $19 gel pad fails, it’s not just a product defect—it’s a failure of oversight.”
Walmart, as the primary retailer for nearly all these items, faces mounting scrutiny. While the company says it follows federal recall protocols, internal documents obtained by Reuters show that some suppliers were allowed to keep selling recalled products for weeks after notification. “They’re not the manufacturer,” one former Walmart compliance officer said anonymously. “But they’re the last line of defense. And sometimes, they blink.”
What’s Next? The Ripple Effect
Congress is now considering the Product Safety Modernization Act, which would require retailers like Walmart to verify safety certifications before listing products. The FDA is also pushing for real-time recall tracking systems, something currently missing in its database. Meanwhile, the CPSC has doubled its field inspectors.
But for now, consumers are left to sift through confusing recall lists. The message is clear: if you bought something from Walmart in 2025, check your receipts. And if you’re still using that baby lounger? Don’t wait for a notification. Destroy it now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Walmart products were recalled in 2025 and why?
Over 15 Walmart-sold products were recalled in 2025, including Scott & Jon's Shrimp Scampi (Listeria), EcoFlow Delta Max 2000 (fire hazard), Scripto torches (burn risk), Mad Rabbit numbing cream (child poisoning), and Fasando baby loungers (entrapment). All were pulled due to violations of federal safety standards, with most linked to manufacturing or labeling failures.
How do I know if I bought a recalled item from Walmart?
Visit Walmart’s recall page or the FDA/CPSC websites and search by product name or UPC code. If you bought online, check your order history for items purchased between January and November 2025. For perishables like shrimp or ice cream, look for batch codes on packaging—these are often listed in recall notices.
Are recalled products still being sold at Walmart?
Officially, no. Walmart removes recalled items from shelves and websites within 48 hours of notification. But investigations show some products lingered in warehouses or were sold by third-party sellers on Walmart.com. The CPSC confirmed at least three cases in 2025 where recalled stoves were resold online after being returned.
What should I do if I have a recalled product at home?
Stop using it immediately. For electronics and appliances, return to any Walmart store for a full refund. For baby loungers and certain batteries, the CPSC requires destruction before refund—cut wires, smash plastic, or dispose of per local hazardous waste rules. Food items should be thrown away in sealed bags to prevent others from accessing them.
Why are so many recalls tied to Walmart?
Walmart is the largest U.S. retailer, carrying over 150,000 SKUs from thousands of suppliers. Its low prices attract budget-conscious buyers, but also attract lower-cost manufacturers with weaker quality controls. Roughly 70% of 2025’s consumer product recalls involved Walmart because it’s the most common point of sale—not because it’s the most negligent.
Is the FDA or CPSC doing enough to prevent these recalls?
They’re reactive, not proactive. Both agencies rely on manufacturers to self-report issues. In 2025, over 60% of recalls were initiated voluntarily by companies—not triggered by agency inspections. The FDA has only 1,800 inspectors for over 15,000 food facilities. Without more funding and authority to demand pre-market testing, these recalls will keep coming.
