Consumer reports warn federal safety agency is broken and putting Americans at risk

From the crib in your nursery to the generator in your garage, one small federal agency is charged with protecting you from dangerous products.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, oversees about 15,000 product categories from bassinets to table saws.

But things have changed at the CPSC in the past year and a half.

CR says its investigation has found that the CPSC has become smaller, slower, and less open to the public.

The agency's full-time staff has shrunk from 546 in 2024 to an estimated 459 this year.

The consumer ombudsman position-a direct line for families hurt by products-was eliminated.

And long-awaited safety rules, for things like portable generators and table saws, have either stalled or been withdrawn.

CR says this comes at a time when a strong CPSC is more needed than ever as we're all shopping online, and there are knockoffs and subpar products flooding the marketplace.

In its response to CR, the CPSC says it's had "the most successful and effective two years in its history," with record recalls, and that critics who say otherwise "are measuring the wrong things."

Consumer Reports and other safety advocates say a strong CPSC shouldn't only respond with product recalls after injuries or deaths.

It should proactively make the market safer through education and strong regulations.

Despite concerns, Consumer Reports does say the CPSC is still the best place to go if you or your family has a problem with a product.

If you notice a safety hazard with something you own, report it at SaferProducts.gov and be wary of third-party marketplaces. Shop only using trusted vendors.

CPSC RESPONSE AS PUBLISHED IN CR'S INVESTIGATION:

"Our remit from Congress is to protect American consumers from reasonable risks of harm from products, and by every objective metric the Commission has enjoyed the most successful and effective two years in its history," said Steve Roney, the CPSC's spokesperson. "We've issued more product recalls, more public safety warnings, and more product takedown notices than in any other one- or two-year period, and we have a renewed focus on interdiction at ports of entry. Critics who say we're not living up to the intent of our mission are measuring the wrong things."