GS1 Australia, AFGC and ECRA have launched a national product recall service to remove potentially harmful grocery, food, liquor and other products from the supply chain.
The service, GS1 Recallnet, was launched in Sydney by Catherine King, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, with Maria Palazzolo, CEO of GS1 Australia and Kate Carnell, CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). Coles, Woolworths, Metcash and Costco as well as Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have registered with the service and are ready to receive notifications.
Ms Palazzolo said by extending existing GS1 Australia services to offer industry additional functionality to manage product recalls and withdrawals, the organisation was building consumer safety into the supply chain.
AFGC chief executive Kate Carnell welcomed the initiative today, saying innovations such as Recallnet would enable Australian food and grocery manufacturers to stay at the forefront of global best practice.
“Product recalls pose a significant challenge to Australian manufacturers and this portal will enable them to manage recall notifications easily, ensuring the food safety of all Australians.”
“Australia’s food and grocery industry has an excellent food safety record and Recallnet provides a world-class tool for manufacturers to ensure we maintain this record,” said Ms Carnell.
GS1 Australia has worked with the AFGC, ECRA, the Liquor Merchants’ Association (LMAA) and Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), the Food Service Association of Australia (FSAA) and leading Australian retailers and manufacturers to establish GS1 Recallnet, initially to be used by the Australian grocery and liquor sector.
With GS1 Recallnet, companies are able to:
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Manage recall and withdrawal notifications online, safely and securely.
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Follow an easy and intuitive workflow that makes the process of issuing notifications simpler.
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Reach customers across Australia instantly and without duplication of effort.
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Communicate with FSANZ.
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Receive immediate feedback from customers on the progress of the recall or withdrawal.
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Easily capture the data needed to complete progress reports to regulators.
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Significantly reduce risk in the event of a recall.
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Lower their risk profile with insurers and lower insurance costs.
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Contribute to the improved wellbeing of all Australians.
Food and consumer products organisations can use the service to reduce errors, decrease the amount of time it takes to respond to a recall and mitigate the costs associated with managing the recall process.
“Global supply chain standards are foundational to effective product recall. GS1 global standards are used by millions of companies around the world to enhance the safety, security and efficiency of their supply chains. Tracking of products through the supply chain into the hands of consumers has been identified by the ACCC as fundamental to improving recall effectiveness and the use of GS1 Recallnet and GS1 Standards provides industry with this ability,” Ms Palazzolo said.