Trader Joe’s another other chains are dealing with recalls, which are at a five-year high

It’s not just Trader Joe’s issuing an influx of recalls. Warnings for consumer products, including groceries, have reached the highest numbers in years. In 2023, 199.7 million food and drink product units were impacted by 506 recall events, according to Sedgwick Brand Protection’s 2024 State of the Nation Recall Index report—a five-year high. Recalls in 2023 were up 19.6% from 2022’s 423 recalls, and eclipsed even 2019’s 498 recalls. This year appears to continue 2023’s trend: There were 46 food and drink recalls in January, a 31% increase from 2023’s fourth-quarter monthly average of 35 recalls.

“It is clear that strict regulatory enforcement is more than a passing trend,” Chris Harvey, Sedgwick’s senior vice president of brand protection, said in a press release. “2024 will see continued oversight from regulators, policymakers, and consumers, making it essential for businesses to plan and practice for product recalls and in-market crises.”

From lead-laced cinnamon to rubber potentially in 35,430 pounds of Johnsonville turkey kielbasa sausage, contaminated products pose a threat to both consumers and companies. The CDC reported that the February listeria outbreak, which impacted Trader Joes, Costco, and Walmart, sickened at least 26 and resulted in two deaths. Listeriosis kills about 260 people annually and about 1,600 become ill, according to the CDC. About 48 million people in the U.S. get a foodborne sickness every year.

While Trader Joe’s did not respond to Fortune’s request for comment or provide information on how recalls impacted earnings, other industries have experienced the impact of recalls on the…