GS1 partners with Foodbank to help address hunger in Aus

GS1 Australia has formed a partnership with Foodbank aiming to help tackle Australia’s food insecurity crisis through the GS1 Australia Recall portal, with Foodbank subscribing to receive timely product recall and withdrawal notices.
Foodbank, Australia’s largest food relief organisation, can now receive communication from manufacturers and suppliers about a product recall or withdrawal using the Recall service – an online portal to significantly streamline and improve the product recall and withdrawal process.
GS1 Australia’s head of supply chain improvement services Peter Chambers said: “GS1 Australia’s Recall portal now offers Foodbank the functionality to manage product recalls and remove the items from the Foodbank distribution system accurately and effectively. Food safety today is high on the menu with a need for an unequivocal standard practice across the entire food sector. Issuing a recall or withdrawal notification using Recall is simple, fast, and inexpensive.”
General manager national supply chain at Foodbank Australia Michael Davidson said: “Subscribing to Recall now gives us the reassurance that we will immediately be notified by our suppliers in the event of a food item being recalled or withdrawn from the supply chain. It also gives manufacturers and suppliers the opportunity to donate product withdrawals as an alternative to that product going into landfill. Instead, we will re-direct it across our national network of front-line charities to provide food and grocery items to vulnerable Australians who are doing it tough.”
Foodbank works collaboratively with the entire Australian food and retail sector and throughout the supply chain to source and distribute food to front line charities around the country.
The organisation receives donations of stock that is out of specification, close to expiry, surplus to requirement, or has incorrect, or faulty packaging. As long as the products are safe for human consumption and not part of a product recall, then Foodbank can gratefully accept them.
“We rely on food donations from a variety of suppliers including farmers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to help us reach the 3.6 million Australians who are suffering with food insecurity each year. With our vision being an Australia free from hunger and food waste, we are encouraging all suppliers that kindly donate surplus product to also notify us about a product withdrawal as soon as possible,” added Mr Davidson.
“GS1 Australia is excited that Foodbank has selected Recall, the first online recall portal to be certified by HACCP, to manage a recall or withdrawal of a food item that has been donated to them for the safety of the consumer,” said Mr Chambers.
For more information about Recall call 1300 227 263 or email recall@gs1au.org.