improving recall effectiveness ruth mackay general manager, product safety hazard response branch,
TRANSCRIPT
Productivity Commission Report Recommendation
“As the success in recovering unsafe products is variable (and especially poor for low value products) the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs should undertake a review of existing recall guidelines to ensure that recalls are undertaken in the most effective manner.”
Recall Review Research
• File review (2006 – 2008)
• Market research
• Australian specialist regulator and international regulator system review
• Consumer and supplier feedback
• International questionnaire
Australian Recall Systems
• ACCC (Trade Practices Act)– Domestic goods
> $40 000• 8 State and Territory Fair Trading
Acts • Specialist Regulators
– Food– Motor vehicles– Pesticides– Therapeutic goods– Electrical goods
Common processes and levels of government interest
1. Notification2. Assessment of recall
strategy3. Oversight of
implementation4. Assessment of
completion5. Auditing the recall6. Ordering a compulsory
recall
Australian Recall Statistics
Total recalls vs consumer recalls
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Consumer recalls
Total recalls
Recall return rates by regulator
Ranking Regulator Average return rate
1 Motor Vehicles 80%
2 Therapeutic goods 72%
3 Consumer goods 39%
4 Food 36%
Product
category
Most common products
% of all recalls
Average
return rate
equipment
and supplies
welding tools, jacks and electrical parts
13% 53%
sporting and
fitness
bikes and exercise equipment
13% 49%
electrical
products
air conditioners, heaters and fans
22% 48%
homewares candles, blinds and
furniture
18% 34%
toys products vary widely 26% 30%
clothing sunglasses and sleeping bags
8% 18%
Notification so far…
1 Who is notified - clarity required; duplication avoided; process streamlined.
2 Define ‘recall’ - preferably broadly.
3 Identify critical information requirements; assess actively.
Forms of communication
Direct Indirect
mail Newspapers
email specialist magazines
telephone point of sale notices
catalogue notices
television
radio
online
Consumer Group Preferred communication method
Nation builders
(65+)
TV and radio – tend to view / listen throughout the day so flexible as to the time-slot
Newspapers – thorough readers, need not be a front page notice
Websites – general web browsing, particularly news and weather
Baby boomers
(46-65)
Drive-time radio
Television – evening news, current affairs
and evening viewing
Newspapers and catalogues – but needs
to be a reasonably prominent notice
Websites – general web browsing is
popular, with some limited use of blogs
and social networking
Consumer Group Preferred communication method
Generation X
(31-45)
Word-of-mouth chat groups
Television – News and evening entertainment
Drive-time radio
Social networking – there is a more significant take up of
social networking in this generation
Websites – blogs increasingly popular
Generation Y
(18-30)
Evening entertainment television – news much
less popular
Websites – general entertainment and as a
primary source of news
Blogs and micro-blogging – a large take up on
sites such as Twitter
Social networking – a rapid take up
Newspapers – possible resurgence
Consumer Group Preferred communication methodHigher income
earners and lower
income earners
Higher incomes – significantly increased use of
online communication; websites, social
networking, blogs and email
Lower incomes – much less internet
communication. Favours TV, radio and
newspapers (age depending)
Families with children TV, radio and newspapers – Generally popular
given spread of ages across household
Internet communication – significantly more
likely to have the internet. Age depending, higher
popularity of websites, social networking and
Blogs
Gender Little effect on internet use, although men are
statistically slightly more likely to use internet
communication.
Largely depends on age and whether the product
is gender oriented.
Printed Recall Notices
• The border should be printed in colour – either black and yellow
or black and red.
• The recall notice should include a photograph of the product.
• The recall notice should contain a hazard symbol.
• The recall notice should have a font size no less than 11 point.
Every recall notice should include the following features:
• A title using one or more ‘impact’ words.
• The title should be in at least 16 point andin bold text.
• A clear description of the product including serial and model numbers or other unique identification.
• A clear description of the risk and potential injury.
• ‘What to do’ which explains the action the consumer is to take.
• Contact details for the supplier including the recalls.gov.au website in 14 point and bold text.
• Details about how the supplier plans to reduce the inconvenience caused to the consumer including refund, replacement or repair options.
Recall Registration Cards
PRODUCT REGISTRATION FOR SAFETY ALERT OR RECALL
We will use the information provided on this card to contact you only if there is a safety alert or recall of this product. We will not sell, rent or share your personal information. To register your product, please complete and mail back this card or visit our online registration at www.WEBSITE NAME.com
Recall effectiveness
Recall Effectiveness can be assessed by:
• the percentage of product returned from both offer of supply and the hands of consumers
• the breadth and depth of the recall advertising including repeated recall messages
• the communication methods, how effectively the communication strategy is targeted and whether it has reached the intended audience
Recall Effectiveness (continued)
• where relevant, a decrease in the number of injuries and complaints about the product
• the likelihood of the product remaining in use
• notification of others in the supply chain
• information about the disposal of the product