Hearts & Minds: How to handle product recalls

Government testing in the US has found slightly elevated levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene in six skin care products and has asked their manufacturers to withdraw them from sale. How do you deal with this eventuality? Don’t shrug and say it won’t happen to you - it’s more common than you might think. The late US commerce secretary Alexander Trowbridge, said: ‘Product recall is a situation that nearly every manufacturer will probably face at some time or another no matter how meticulous its quality control procedures.’

Be candid. Be open and honest with the public, employees and authorities. It absolutely does not pay, reputation-wise, to obfuscate. You want to avoid what befell one brand when they pulled one of their lines. At a press conference they evaded questions until frustrated reporters began to chant, ‘the facts! the facts.’ This is not a moment to put profits first; make consumers central to what you’re doing, put them first in all your messaging.

Be consistent. Any variation will be spotted. It suggests a lack of control that you’re not on top of the situation and will spread alarm. Say you’re sorry – you’re recalling, a mistake has been made and for safety’s sake, you’re withdrawing and you apologise. If harm has or may have resulted, that is different. Then, you must be careful not to admit liability. You should still show compassion and sensitivity - to not do so is a huge negative – without saying sorry.

Cooperation with the media, regulators, customers is vital. Any suggestion of hostility or desiring privacy will be interpreted as a sign of evasion. Likewise, don’t be half-hearted and casual, as if it doesn’t matter. The more the CEO is personally involved, the better. They’re caring, they get it, they’re taking responsibility and they’re leading. So, where possible, statements should be from them and they should front the interviews and press calls.

Do not hesitate. One of the questions you will be asked is when did you first learn about this? You want to be able to say that as soon as you first became aware you withdrew the product. Any hint of delay is terrible. Be seen to have acted promptly and decisively, thinking of consumers ahead of anything else.

Have a plan. Work with your advisors to make it part of your crisis readiness. It might require adapting but it will provide a framework and a head start.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.