What consumers don’t see: How companies decide to recall
When a consumer hears about a food recall, they see only the last step in a long and complex process. Before this notice reaches the public, food companies conduct internal investigations, cross-team decision-making and coordination throughout the supply chain, while regulators closely monitor the situation.
For consumers, a recall may seem sudden. But the decision to recall a product is rarely simple. Even though the logistics and costs are enormous for the issuing company, businesses must ultimately prioritize consumer safety. The debate typically involves representatives from various teams – legal, security, financial and even brand – and each of their perspectives should be considered. Understanding how these decisions are made helps consumers know what to expect in the event of a recall.
Where do reminders begin?
Most food recalls begin when something unusual is detected. This usually happens at the supplier level, where the ingredients are first processed. But problems can be detected at any stage of the supply chain: during internal testing, during routine audits or reported by distributors, retailers or even consumers.
More and more companies are using innovative technologies to quickly detect these problems. Environmental monitoring, rapid laboratory testing and digital traceability systems help companies detect things like pathogens, foreign materials and undeclared allergens. This technology improves speed and accuracy, but it still requires human judgment to determine whether a recall should be issued.
Behind the scenes of a recall decision
The decision to recall a product goes through several stages. Here’s what usually happens:
The problem is identified. Recalls may begin with a test result, a consumer complaint, a distributor noticing a packaging problem, a retailer identifying a labeling error, or a regulatory action. Common reasons include contamination, mislabeling, or the presence of undeclared allergens.
The team gathers information. The company, often in coordination with regulators, identifies what happened, what products were affected, where they were distributed and how to trace them. This information helps identify items that need to be removed from supply chains, store shelves, warehouses and consumers’ homes.
The company makes a decision. Every business should have a recall plan. Key decision makers, including security experts, legal advisors, operations teams and executives, evaluate whether a recall is necessary. This team examines key questions related to the incident: is there a health risk? Is a recall required by law? Can affected products be found and deleted? Will consumers be affected if we wait? After reviewing this information, they decide how to proceed.
Messages are expanded. If the decision is to proceed with a recall, the company develops clear, precise and actionable messages tailored to internal and external audiences. Internal messages inform teams about critical next steps, such as deep cleaning and disinfection of facilities, as well as initiating a root cause analysis to understand how the defect occurred. Messages to business partners focus on finding and removing all recalled products. Consumer messages provide information about the problem, the products affected, and what to do.
Why it’s sweet – or not. When consumers hear about a recall, it’s easy to assume that the public statement is the whole story. But the speed, clarity and tone of this message are only the visible result of all the previous steps. If behind-the-scenes coordination has been slow or chaotic, this will likely be reflected in how the recall is communicated. Well-prepared companies tend to act more quickly and communicate more clearly. They know how to find the right data, decide to act quickly, coordinate with their business partners, and deliver messages that drive action.
Why this matters to consumers. Recalls are not always a sign of a company going bankrupt. In many cases, this indicates that the system for detecting food safety problems has worked. But not all companies handle recalls the same way – and that’s where consumers come in. When consumers expect better communication and transparency, it pushes companies to invest in systems and tools that enable quick and accurate recalls. This includes digital traceability, recall simulations and better collaboration throughout the supply chain.
Recalls help keep the food system safe. When something goes wrong, consumers deserve to know immediately. Companies that take this responsibility seriously are the ones worth supporting. The more transparent the recall process, the safer the entire food system will be for everyone.
Aabout the author: Roger Hancock is CEO of Recall InfoLink. Recall InfoLink makes recalls faster, easier and more accurate throughout the supply chain to protect consumers and brands. Hancock is also a member of the steering committee of the Alliance for Recall Ready Communities.
