Whether it’s due to a bacteria outbreak on produce, faulty parts on a car or another issue, product recalls, unfortunately, happen from time to time.

What’s most important for brands requiring product recalls is taking swift action and ensuring consumers’ safety.

The Problem with Current Product Recall Models

In a standard product recall, brands send out a press release or notice, which typically gets picked up by local — or national — news stations, depending on the nature and degree of the recall. But how can brands ensure all consumers are reached?

With vehicle parts recalls, brands typically have contact information from dealerships or government registrations and can notify the consumer via mail to get their car serviced to address the faulty part.

What about most other consumer packaged goods? With CPGs, it can be incredibly challenging to track down each customer that may have bought an item from a specific lot or batch. 

Product Recalls and CPGs

Consumers may find it cumbersome and confusing to figure out which set of numbers on a product is the needed code to identify the recalled group of products.

On top of trying to identify if a product was in a specific recalled batch group, it can be overwhelming and confusing for consumers to try and figure out what to do with a recalled product.

For example, if a batch of baby formula were recalled, brands wouldn’t typically have an easy way to connect with each consumer that bought an item from that batch . Consumers may only even discover a batch was recalled if they went on the company’s website and saw it posted there or if they saw it on the news.

This is not only problematic, but it also can be dangerous — what if the recall were due to a health and safety issue?

If a parent discovered a recall weeks or months later — or because their baby got sick — they would be furious with the brand. This would not only harm the brand’s reputation, but it would affect consumer loyalty and could bring about potential legal problems.

This is why it’s imperative for brands to be at the forefront of connectivity to ensure they can notify consumers in the event of a recall, and give them simple, straightforward instructions on how to handle it.

How Connected Products Can Help Brands and Consumers With Safer Product Recalls

Connected products can help brands with product recalls — making it easier to identify, inform, instruct and notify consumers about recalled products.

1. Scan for Easy Checking

When a consumer learns of a product recall, they can scan the product to immediately see if it is part of a recall.

This way, consumers don’t have to search for product and batch numbers, dates and other information.

To accomplish this, a consumer would simply scan a QR code and could instantly see if the product was part of a recalled batch — so they don’t have to question or try and sort through complicated numbers and dates.

2. Inform Consumers

With connected products, a brand can also add information to the digital experience to let the consumer know the product has been recalled the next time they scan the code — even if they weren’t otherwise aware of any recalls.

This gives brands an additional way to connect with consumers directly — rather than depending on third-party services to inform them. Again, this is all built with a simple consumer experience engaging with an on-product QR code.

This helps the consumer see the brand cares about their safety and wants to remedy the problem as soon as it arises.

3. Instruct Customers with Steps

For products that are part of a recall, a brand can change the digital experience to include

detailed instructions on returning the product. More importantly, they can also include safety instructions.

This goes beyond informing the consumer that there has been a recall: It gives clear, direct steps to remedy the recall and keep them safe.

4. Immediately Notify Consumers

If a consumer has previously interacted with the product and provided contact information, a brand can send an email or notification to those affected as soon as the recall is implemented.

This bypasses any wait time and ensures the consumer hears about a recall directly from the brand.

This is one of the most effective ways to ensure consumer safety.

Use Connected Products to Ensure Consumer Safety

For brands that want to ensure timeliness and stay connected in the event of product recalls, connected products are key.

With connected products, brands are empowered to help customers easily identify, be informed about, get instructions to remedy and be notified of product recalls.