Update on Whirlpool tumble dryer recall progress

Whirlpool has been regularly updating the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) on the progress of its tumble dryer recall programme following an intervention by OPSS in June. The latest data, as of the end of 15 October, is published below.

Under the recall, consumers with an unmodified, affected tumble dryer are entitled to a new replacement machine. This will be delivered and installed, with the old one removed, all at no cost to the consumer.

Whirlpool agreed to undertake a number of actions including:

• delivering a significant new consumer outreach campaign with wide ranging publicity of the product recall aimed at reaching affected consumers and driving up awareness
• guaranteeing no charges for delivery, installation or removal of machines
• improving identification of, and outreach to, vulnerable consumers
• providing OPSS with timely reporting of progress made in the product recall

Key monitoring metrics provided by Whirlpool on the status of its tumble dryer recall programme are as follows:

1) 90,254 new customers have come forward since 12 June following the Minister, Kelly Tolhurst, announcing the intention to serve a recall notice in the House of Commons on 11 June.

2) 515,975 visits have been made to Whirlpool’s new designated website.

3) The average time taken from a customer making a decision to each resolution type is as follows:

• 10.6 days for a product exchange
• 9.4 days for a refund
• 6.7 days for a modification

4) 53,889 cases have been fully resolved, of which:

• 38,387 machines have been replaced (free of charge)
• 9,764 machines have been part exchanged (upgraded)
• 2,036 machines have been collected and refunded
• 3,702 machines have been modified

5) The average time taken from a customer registration to resolution is 28 days.

All figures are those reported for 11 July to 15 October 2019 unless stated otherwise.

Further information on the recall campaign