Package 1 - What is a Recall Plan?

A recall plan is used to recall/re-collect goods or products, where there is a contamination, which could pose as a risk the the public's health. It mainly applies to food products only. If the food product is defective in terms of tasting awful, product quality is not good, the product weighs much lighter than what the packaging states or the packaging states the product to be banana- flavoured but it turns out to be strawberry flavoured, a recall plan will NOT be implented. Consumers could just return the defected food product to the supermarket and get a refund or exchange for another packet.

Purpose of a recall plan:

The purpose of a food recall plan is to enable a food business to efficiently recall unsafe food from the marketplace and consumers, in order to protect public health and safety. In doing so, the assets of the bsiness that include reputation and brand image are also preserved. If a recall plan is not properly done or planned, not all the unsafe food might be collected back. This might pose a risk to the publics’ health.

Food retailers such as supermarkets are not legally required to have a recall plan (unless they are engaged in the wholesale, distribution or importation of food). The food retailer may be part of another business’ recall plan, therefore, they are likely to play an important part in retrieval of recalled food.

**Food that has been recalled must be removed from sales immediately, clearly identified as recalled food, held and kept separate from all other food.

A recall notification should include:

- Food types
- Brand names
- Package description and size
- Batch number
- Flavour line Manufactured date and/or Expiry date of the product

Type of food recall:

- Trade recall --> involves recovery of the product from distribution centres and wholesalers.
E.g.) Stocks recalled from distribution centres (supermarket) returning to manufacturers (factories), importer or wholesaler (Multi-National Companies).

- Consumer recall --> Recovery of the product from all points in the distribution network.
Involves not only the distribution centres, manufacturers, importers
and wholesalers but also consumers who are in possession of the
product.

Things to be mentioned in a recall plan:

- Which product(s) are being recalled with no possible confusion over matters such as pack size, flavour or best-before dates.
- What should happen to the products (e.g. remove any recalled products from sale and isolate for later collection0 and any arrangements for reimbursement or replacement.
- If your customer is a wholesaler, highlight the need for their recall plan to be put into effect.
- Contact details for any queries.
- A draft advice for your customers, a full public recall and a draft notice to be placed in newspaper may be prepared in advance as part of the recall plan; as a recall prove necessary will be a stressful time and having the right words available to use for your customers and the public would be very helpful.
(Quoted from: http://www.dh.sa.gov.au/pehs/Food/food-industry-bulletin-3-03.pdf)