Dive Brief:
- The Center for Science in the Public Interest thinks the U.S. Food and Drug Administration isn’t moving fast enough to implement a standardized in-store recall notification system per Food Safety Modernization Act mandates, which the agency passed more than five years ago.
- FSMA requires the FDA to prepare recall notices based on information from manufacturers that retailers with 15 stores or more would post in accessible areas for 14 days. That standardized system is not yet in place, with retailers implementing various methods of notification placement and customer contact.
- Several retailers collect data through their bonus card or loyalty programs and then directly contact consumers who have purchased recalled products. The largest grocers, Wal Mart, Kroger and Costco do this, but other stores don't have loyalty programs or don't reach out.
Dive Insight:
If retailers across the board don't adequately perform in-store recalls, it could lead to mounting troubles for the manufacturers instating the recall. Recalled products could slip through the cracks, causing recalls to last longer, rack up costs and potentially impact more consumers.
General Mills’ current flour recall demonstrates how costly a drawn-out recall can be, especially for products like flour that other manufacturers might use as an ingredient in their own products. Problems on the retail end can only exacerbate an already complex and costly situation.
Retailers and manufacturers can work together to find the best methods for recall notifications. But for it to be most effective, the process must comply with FSMA and be uniform across the board. That way, consumers know where to look for information, such as at the shelf versus the checkout counter.