Product Recall Checklist

Product recalls are among the most common crises faced by consumer products companies. Despite their frequency, many organizations remain unprepared when faced with such challenges, often making rushed, knee-jerk decisions that exacerbate the problem.

Product recalls are par for the course. That’s why there are clear regulatory, operational, and consumer notification processes to address recalls of all shapes and sizes. Making the damage and disruption from a product recall as minimal as possible can be accomplished.

The Boar’s Head listeria outbreak serves as a prime example of how poor handling can amplify the reputational damage. Mishandled recalls jeopardize consumer safety, erode trust, damage reputations, and invite costly operational, legal, and regulatory consequences.

This checklist is designed to provide a clear guide for navigating a recall effectively. By following these actions, companies can respond decisively and implement meaningful changes to minimize the long-term reputational impact of the crisis and prevent future occurrences.

Acknowledge and Assess the Situation.

• Operations must drive communications. When facing an operational problem, you need an operational solution commensurate with the reality you are facing. While it’s not always necessary to communicate or publicly address the full scope of the problem – due to trade secrets, time, regulatory requirements, etc. – organizations must fully acknowledge their challenge and work to find short- and long-term solutions as quickly as possible. 

• Confirm and document the full scope of the problem, including affected products and potential risks.

• Notify all relevant internal teams and have clear roles and responsibilities for all involved in managing the recall – from frontline call center staff to legal teams and executives, everyone should know their role.

• Draft an initial external communication plan to address customers and stakeholders (if applicable).

• Communicate openly about the issue, avoiding downplaying or withholding key details if they are confirmed. Minimizing the issue only delays necessary actions and typically worsens public perception and other adverse outcomes like lawsuits.  

Take Immediate and Decisive Action While Communicating Progress

• Form a crisis management team to oversee and coordinate all recall activities to avoid delays and develop final decision makers. This includes operations teams working hand-in-glove with the communications team.

• Locate and isolate all affected products within your facilities and supply chain.

• Notify the appropriate regulatory bodies (e.g., FDA, USDA) to ensure compliance.

• Evaluate the need for a broader recall and expand efforts as necessary.

• Retest facilities and products to confirm that the contamination or issue has been fully resolved.

• This step may have to be repeated multiple times depending on the extent of the recall.

Make Lasting Operational Changes

• Do a thorough review to fully understand everything that needs to be fixed and fix it – some changes might come right away, some over time, but all are essential to prevent history repeating itself and to ensure long-term safety and sustainability for the organization.  

• Develop and execute a schedule for regular inspections and maintenance to prevent future issues.

• Clearly communicate the changes to all staff, stakeholders, and consumers. If a company doesn’t implement real change, consumers are smart and can tell when they’re being served platitudes instead of actual change. 

• Establish a timeline for periodic reviews and follow-up checks to ensure sustained improvements.

Plan for Long-Term Recovery and Compliance

• Consult with legal and PR teams to address potential lawsuits and regulatory actions following the issue.

• Monitor customer feedback and public sentiment regularly to refine your messaging.

• Implement an ongoing compliance monitoring system to prevent future crises.

A product recall is never pleasant, but it doesn’t have to be a disaster. With a clear plan and decisive action, companies can handle recalls in a way that minimizes reputational damage and gets them back to business.

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