CGCSA rolls out new recall system

The aim of the FSI Express Recall System is to enable an organisation, of any size, to communicate critical information to trading partners in real time. Conducting mock recalls on a regular basis will ensure that when a decision is taken to withdraw or recall a product the team responsible for recalls are intuitively geared to issue a recall on Express Recall.

"The importance of health and wellbeing is becoming critical to shoppers who are demanding healthy products and lifestyle. To meet these demands industry will see a marked increase in regulatory pressure to ensure that food quality improves, as well as detection technology to track and trace contaminated food and remove it from the supply chain as quickly as possible," said Yolandé van der Riet, nutrition specialist at the CGCSA FSI.

"This system represents the industry with a tool that can be extremely effective to remove unsafe food from the market should the need arise and that should give confidence to consumers of industry's commitment to food safety" explained Dr Boitshoko Ntshabele, director at Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

"The time it takes to become aware of and act on a recall is critical. It usually takes a well-organised business 14 days to sense and act on a recall, then about 42 days to complete the recall. Finally, only 43% of recalled products with health and safety concerns are traced," said Chris Havenga, GS1 executive at the CGCSA.

Built on global standards

Express Recall is built on the GS1 global product recall standards framework. This is a robust process and is already successful in Canada, US, Australia and New Zealand. South Africa is the fifth country to enable their food and beverage industry with a Business-to-Business, Business-to-Government, and Government -to-Government and Business-to-Consumer communication tool for recalls and withdrawals.

With Express Recall the key focus areas are:

• To reduce risk in the Consumer Goods Council member companies by ensuring that they comply with regulation;
  
• Reduce their risk profile with insurance companies who are in a position to lower premiums;
  
• Reduce the risk of harm to consumers with rapid and accurate communication flowing between the relevant trading partners;
  
• Reduce costs by making recall more effective and targeted;
  
• Optimise asset utilisation through a structured and industry approved process; and
  
• Increase revenue through improved trading partner trust.