The number of products recalled for defects dropped last year amid rising voluntary recalls by companies, government data showed Tuesday.

A total of 1,586 recall cases were reported in 2015, down 9.5 percent from a record 1,752 tallied in 2014, according to the data compiled by the Fair Trade Commission.

The 2015 figure is still higher than the previous numbers which had hovered around 900 between 2010 and 2013, added the FTC.

The recalled items include food, medical drugs and manufactured goods, as well as automobiles.

The corporate regulator said that 536 were voluntary recalls made by their manufacturers, accounting for 33.8 percent of the total, while 890 were mandatory and 160 were recommended by the government.

The number of spontaneous recalls has been on a steady rise in the recent years as it hit 263 in 2013 and 339 in 2014. (Yonhap)