As 2007 winds down, RetailWire looks at the stories and issues that shaped the year in retailing.
It wouldn't be difficult to come to the conclusion that 2007 has not been a very safe year for consumers (and their pets) based on a simple search of RetailWire headlines for the past 12 months.
Two separate searches using the terms "safety" and "recalls" turned up the following:
- Counterfeits Causing Real Damage in Human Terms
- Congress Looks at One Agency to Protect Food Supply
- Melamine Contamination Links Port Security to Food Safety
- Will Changes Make Recalls More Effective?
- Safe Toys High on Consumers' Wish Lists
- What Effect Has Consolidation Had on Food Safety?
- Wal-Mart Plan Looks to Keep Toys Safe for Kids
As the headlines clearly suggest, many of the discussions over the past year have focused on China and what needs to be done to protect consumers from unsafe imports.
It would be a mistake, however, to suggest that product safety is strictly an "outside" issue. The year 2007 brought with it many recalls for products "Made in the USA." Among these was the recall of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter brands after 625 people in 47 states were stricken by salmonella poisoning connected to the products.
In another domestic incident, more than 21 million pounds of ground beef from Topps was recalled due to E. coli contamination. Ultimately, the recall forced the meat processor to shut its doors.
Discussion Questions: How do you explain the steady stream of product safety stories in 2007? Have the numerous recalls and reports of unsafe products created a crisis of confidence on the part of consumers? What impact has all this had on retailers?
Separately, we came across a Hunter Public Relations press release that said food safety was the number one story of the year based on a survey of food editors.