How product recalls spread through the supply chain

Contaminated or damaged goods get taken off the shelves and reported to the public almost every day. Here's a short breakdown of the costs and complexities, and quality and safety measures of this system.

With nearly daily recalls in the news, you're surely familiar with what it means: an action taken by a manufacturer or the government to protect the public from products — medications and food, to vehicles, child safety seats, and more. But did you know recalls can be both voluntary and mandatory?

In an article Jan. 22, 2019, on Supply Chain Dive:

There are a lot of reasons, but typically they’re some sort of liability [issues]. Some are mandated by a consumer product agency or the FDA (Food & Drug Administration). When it’s voluntary, a company says, 'We better do this,' and, when you think about it, it’s really every day because of product lifecycles.

– Dale Rogers, professor of logistics and supply chain management