What should (and shouldn’t) happen during a food recall

— OPINION —

By Roger Hancock, CEO of Recall InfoLink

Food recalls occur regularly, with recent incidents involving eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers,  baby food, and more. A food safety report found an alarming increase in food recalls last year, and as these incidents continue, consumer trust in food safety has dropped to an all-time low.

Recalls happen — even to companies that consistently follow proper food safety protocols. A restaurant could unknowingly serve onions that were contaminated at the farm before they arrived. Or a grocery store could sell deli meats, unaware that the products were contaminated at the processing plant.

More important than who’s at fault is how a company manages the situation, whether they were the one who issued the recall or not. Are they:

• Being honest about what happened or trying to hide the incident?
• Communicating with clear messages or providing vague information?
• Providing information through multiple channels to reach a wide audience or making details difficult to access?

Recalls are meant to protect consumers, but the process doesn’t always work the way it should. Here’s what a good recall looks like, and what to watch for when things aren’t handled properly.

What should happen during a food recall
This is what you want to see during a well-managed recall — it means the system is working to keep you safe.

• You hear about it quickly. In a food recall, where consumer health may be at risk, food companies must get information out quickly, accurately, and widely. This means notifying consumers through numerous channels to help drive proper actions, reduce panic, and minimize damage.
• The message is clear and specific. The recalling company should explain what happened and what happens next. Food brands must include details about the impacted products, and explain what consumers should do if they bought or consumed recalled foods. 
• You know where the product came from and was sold. The recalling company should provide details about the affected products, like batch or lot numbers, sell-by dates, retailers that sold it, geographies impacted, etc.
• You know what to do with it. Consumers should receive clear instructions to check product labels, expiration dates, and batch or lot numbers. Food brands should also explain what to do next, such as return recalled products to the point-of-purchase for a refund, and seek medical attention if you become ill after consuming contaminated products.
• You get the message in different ways. Companies should utilize multiple communication channels to amplify recall messages and reach a wide audience. This could include a combination of loyalty program push notifications, social media, their website, in-store signage, QR codes and the media. Distributing messages widely helps raise awareness, educate the public, and drive specific actions.
• You get updates. Food brands should provide regular updates on recall progress, resolution efforts, and how they’re supporting their customers, such as providing a hotline and email address for consumers to ask questions or voice concerns. Regardless of what prompted the recall, the company should be compassionate, acknowledging the inconvenience to their customers. 

What shouldn’t happen during a food recall
This is what you don’t want to see during a recall — if you do, it likely means things aren’t being handled well. Food companies might want to pay attention to this part, too.

• You find out too late. When food businesses have slow response times, consumers won’t immediately know about the incident or to avoid the recalled products. Delayed communication can hinder proper action, prolong risks, and increase damages.
• You have to decode vague language. Confusion is the enemy of a well-processed recall. If recall messages are unclear, vague, or inaccurate, it can drive public fear, increase misinformation, and decrease consumer confidence in the brand.  
• The message is buried or hard to access. If recall information is hard to find, consumers won’t know what’s happening. The recalling company shouldn’t just rely on their website — which most consumers don’t check regularly — or on government websites — which can be slow to update — because buried messages can delay awareness and impede action.
• You’re left wondering if it affects you. If there’s a food recall, but the recalling company has issued vague, incomplete, or confusing information, you won’t know definitively if the products you just bought were among the recalled items.
• The company is defensive or tries to hide what happened. Without accurate, honest messages coming directly from the recalling company, consumers may receive inaccurate, sensationalist information from social media and spread via word-of-mouth. The spread of misinformation can complicate the recall, prolong public health risks, and damage customer perception of the company.

While the U.S. food supply remains the safest in the world, recalls continue. Since recalls are issued to protect public health, not necessarily due to a brand failure, don’t fault a company for recalling products. However, watch how the company manages and communicates about the recall. Companies should act quickly, communicate transparently, share accurate messages, provide clear instructions, and work proactively to minimize risks and protect consumer health.

About the author: Roger Hancock, CEO of Recall InfoLink, is one of the world’s foremost experts on recalls, with experience that spans the retail, tech, data, regulatory, and supply chain. Recall InfoLink, makes recalls faster, easier, and more accurate across the supply chain to protect consumers and brands. As the only company focused entirely on recalls.