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recall (4). Within Canada, food recalls can be voluntary -
initiated and carried out by the company - or mandatory -
fulfilled by Ministerial order when the company is unwilling
or unable to do so (2).
Food recalls can occur for a variety of reasons, including
microbial, chemical, or physical hazards, as well as
mislabeling or misrepresentation of a food product (3).
Between April 2012 and March 2013, the majority of food
recalls - over 40% - were a result of undeclared allergens (3).
The fast and effective identification and retrieval of recalled
products is vital to protecting public health and safety.
Greater food recall effectiveness may help to save company
time, resources, and/or money, prevent or lessen avoidable
human suffering and associated healthcare costs, and reduce
negative effects on customer loyalty.
The food industry faces several challenges regarding food
recalls. It has been estimated that about 60% of American
consumers ignore product recall messages, failing to check
their homes for recalled food (11). Rutgers University Food
Policy Institute surveyed over 1000 consumers following a
2008 Salmonella contamination of tomatoes and found that
38% of consumers ate the tomatoes included in the recall
(11). Consumer disregard of recall messages remains to be
better understood, despite investigation of product recall
communications beginning as early as the 1980s.
In 2009, a study by Souiden and Pons examined product
recall crisis management, specifically in the automobile
industry (23). They found that consumers developed a more
negative image of, and were less loyal to, a manufacturer
when that manufacturer opposed a recall (23). On the other
hand, when consumers perceive companies to be acting in a
responsible manner, they tend to hold more favorable feelings
toward them (14). Voluntary recalls had significant positive
effects on consumer loyalty and future purchase intent (23).
An assessment of American food recall messages found that
the way a recall message is framed will affect consumers'
beliefs in their capacity to carry out a response to a highrisk food recall (6). Furthermore, higher levels of recall
satisfaction occur when a product defect is the responsibility
of the supplier and not the recalling firm, when failures are
uncontrollable (i.e., out of the control of the recall firm or
supplier), or when the recalling firm provides the consumer
with the corrective actions that address the underlying recall
issue (13). A focus on consumer preferences during food
recalls has revealed that receiving recall information from
inside the store or retail setting, especially at the point-ofpurchase, is considered ideal (5). Additionally, the most
trusted source of recall information is federal agencies, while
information sourced from online social networks lacks
similar trust and reliability (5). As the food industry, society,
and technology change, it is important to consider new
models of recall communication to improve the effectiveness
of recalls. The crafting and presentation of the recall message
impact consumer risk perception and behavior (18) and,
thus, the effectiveness of a recall.
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Several studies have shown that serious recalls can
negatively impact company profits; for instance, shareholder
wealth can decrease by 1.5% to 3% in the most serious of
recalls (9). Even in a crisis, effective communication, as
mentioned earlier, and a cohesive crisis communication
strategy can help to mitigate the effect on a company's
reputation (12). The response of Maple Leaf Foods'
leadership team to its L. monocytogenes outbreak in 2008
serves as a prime example (12).
One way to assess the effectiveness of a recall is the time
required to recall. External detection (i.e., when defects
are detected by a consumer or regulatory agency rather
than the supplier or recalling firm) and the quantity of
impacted product are directly linked to a longer time to
recall (13). Another factor in the effectiveness of a food
recall is traceability. A simulated recall study in Norway
assessed 30 different products within five major food
sectors and determined that only 53% of the products
purchased throughout the supply chains could be traced to
their origin (9). Although traceability systems are likely to
differ among countries, this study highlights the challenge
presented to companies in product traceability during food
recalls, especially with globalization and evolving consumer
preferences. For example, the study found that the internal
attitude of the company, as well as customer demands, are
important components for forming the conditions of a
successful tracing event (9). Successful tracing and tracking
have the ability to improve recall speed and accuracy (9).
Few studies have analyzed recall effectiveness by
comparing product recovery rates over time. One study
done by Teratanavat and Hooker in 2004 (24) looked at U.S.
meat and poultry recalls from 1994 to 2002 and found that
both the number of recalls and the total amount of recalled
product by weight continuously increased from 1997. This
finding may be the result of improved consumer awareness
or better foodborne illness surveillance methods (24). This
study also showed that the average recovery rates (i.e., the
percentage of recall volume recovered by manufacturers)
remained relatively constant over these years (24). This
raises questions about current recovery rates in all areas of
the food industry, and if they have significantly improved
since the early 2000s. Another study, in 2005, that examined
past U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recalls within
the meat and poultry industry stated that deficiencies of
the recall system included the lack of authority to initiate
recalls, requesting recalls based on presumptive data or
epidemiological data alone, and miscommunication among
federal agencies (15).
Despite hundreds of food recalls occurring in Canada
each year (3), recall-focused studies frequently consider
products and companies outside the food industry, are
largely performed in other countries (namely the United
States and China), and are typically conducted with a
consumer-based focus. Consequently, the main objective
of this study was to glean information from members of the

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