Food safety recalls are rising in the UK. Recalls rose 40% between 2017-18, from 145 to 203. Last year that number rose again by 52%. Non-food recalls are also increasing. In 2018, 90 non-food products were withdrawn. In 2019, 117 were recalled across the UK.
This isn’t a bad thing, according to the FSA. In fact, it could be an indication that food safety is getting better. The industry is trying harder than ever to keep the supply chain safe.
In 2020, technology and sophisticated supply tracking enables businesses to trace products from their origin right to the store shelf. This is one of the things driving the increase in recall alerts; as better data makes recalls more visible than before. There is also increasing regulation to comply with, meaning product recalls are more likely to happen as more of our goods are imported.
Cow & Gate recently recalled a range of baby food from supermarkets, where some jars were found to contain pieces of rubber glove. Instead of it being a PR disaster, Cow & Gate acted immediately, apologised to customers and reassured them. The 250g jars were stoked at most UK supermarkets, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Tesco.
How VoCoVo can help
Our own communications technology stack makes product recall simple and easy. VoCoVo communications technology creates a connected team, able to talk and respond to notifications in real-time. This makes it easy to send out alerts from HQ to an entire workforce, even if you’re spread across 750 separate locations. Message casting enables store managers to notify all staff across larger stores, at the touch of a button. This makes it quick and effortless for staff to act on a recall, and get a product off the shelves and away from customers.
Our headsets are designed to be durable and reliable, meaning you won’t need to worry. When a product recall or food alert comes in, it’s simple and effective in communicating that urgent message out quickly and efficiently.
Find out more about the hardware we use to connect teams
VoCoVo’s communication devices are wireless, which makes it simple to connect every part of the workplace. Whether that’s a retail superstore, a large warehouse or a remote team working from separate locations, we help you stay connected. Our base units and hubs create radio waves that work inside and outside, making instant connectivity possible.
With us, you can be sure that product recalls can happen simultaneously across multiple sites. Find out more about the benefits of VoCoVo by contacting our specialist team today.