Do You Recall This Many Recalls

Is it just me, or does it seem like there has been a big jump in recalls? From eggs, to fruit pulp, to cars, to Tylenol, to ... well you get the point. Why? There are several possibilities:

1. Industries/companies making mistakes. Perhaps we just are not as good as we think, and we really are making that many mistakes and allowing crappy or dangerous products to reach consumers. But did this just start happening in the last couple of years?

2. Media being overly sensitive. Remember after the earthquake in Haiti how the news reported about an earthquake somewhere almost every day for a few weeks. There was not really an increase in earthquakes, just an increase in interest in them. I think the media would be reporting on the egg recall even if the Tylenol recall didn't happen. But maybe the media is devoting more space to recalls than it usually does.

3. Increased regulatory activity. Across all regulatory agencies, we have seen an increase in enforcement, inspections, etc. So, maybe we are just catching more things that lead to recalls? In the end, that could be a good thing. None of us wants to get typhoid from a smoothie or salmonella from breakfast.

This perceived increase in recalls is probably a result of each of these causes. My bigger concern is what this "wave" of recalls will cause. Those wanting more and stricter regulations will certainly point to the situation as proof of their argument. CSPI has already done this with the egg situation to push their stance on the Food Safety Bill (click here to see their press release). We need to remind people that recalls are evidence of the system working. We will never eliminate all problems, but the sooner we can catch them and address them, the better.

My biggest fear is what this is doing to consumer confidence. Think about it. Tylenol, pet food, Toyota, eggs, pistachios, tomatoes, etc etc. Who can consumers really trust? As brands and industries, we need to focus on how we can ensure and build this trust. Not just based on a good slogan or a slick campaign, but really build long lasting trust with our customers.