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What is the difference between Product Recall and Product Withdrawal?

Started by , Sep 16 2019 08:00 AM
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what is the difference between Product recall and product withdrawal?

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Product withdrawals and recalls

As a result of a food incident, a food product may have to be withdrawn or recalled. 

A withdrawal is when unsafe food is removed from the supply chain before it has reached consumers. 

A recall is when unsafe food is removed from the supply chain and consumers are advised to take appropriate action, for example to return or dispose of the unsafe food. 

 

https://www.food.gov...als-and-recalls

 

Also below is a previous thread on the topic, somewhat old now but the discussion may be of interest.

 

https://www.ifsqn.co...hdrawal-recall/

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A Withdrawal might also be considered for a product that has quality issues, not food safety issues.

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Withdraw - remove from distribution chain (distributor's warehouse; store shelf etc), but no need to notify end consumers. Say the product was made for Walmart, any left over in Walmart warehouse and on the shelf are to be returned to manufacturer or to be destroyed. But no public announcement was made for consumers who bought this product from Walmart. 

 

Recall - when you get to know it

IIRC, the interpretation of the terminologies can vary with Location.

 

Egypt ??

In the UK I would describe it as follows. 

 

  • A withdrawal means removing the product from the supply chain without informing the consumer.  If any product has reached consumers it would not be recalled from them.
  • A recall is public and communicated to retailers and directly to consumers.

 

As Hank Major said, recalls are more commonly food safety incidents, withdrawals are more commonly quality issues, but that's not always the case.  I've had a public recall when it wasn't a food safety issue (because the company felt the quality was damaging to their reputation) and I've had a withdrawal for a food safety issue (when the product hadn't reached stores yet) so while it's a good rule of thumb it's not always true.

 

Note that I wouldn't term it a Withdrawal if it's still in your company's control.  So you may have multiple logistics and distribution wings to your business.  Holding and destroying any product from that situation, in my opinion, is just a hold.  It becomes a Withdrawal when other companies get involved and a Recall when the public are involved.

IIRC, the interpretation of the terminologies can vary with Location.

 

Egypt ??

 

This is true. Extract from Egyptian food law (as far as I can tell) document below:

 

The National Authority for Food Safety Law

(Chapter 1)

Definitions

Article (1):

In application of the provisions of this Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings next to each:

18. Food Withdrawal: The removal of an unsafe food from food chain except product that reached to consumer.

19. Food Recall: The removal of an unsafe food from the market upon sale when it may have reached the consumer and the notification of the consumer to take suitable procedures e.g. food return or disposal thereof.

 

http://nfsa.gov.eg/I...Law-English.pdf

This is true. Extract from Egyptian food law (as far as I can tell) document below:

 

The National Authority for Food Safety Law

(Chapter 1)

Definitions

Article (1):

In application of the provisions of this Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings next to each:

18. Food Withdrawal: The removal of an unsafe food from food chain except product that reached to consumer.

19. Food Recall: The removal of an unsafe food from the market upon sale when it may have reached the consumer and the notification of the consumer to take suitable procedures e.g. food return or disposal thereof.

 

http://nfsa.gov.eg/I...Law-English.pdf

 

 

Hi zanorias,

 

Excellent searching ! :thumbup:

 

No.18 sounds rather ominous. Maybe a questionable translation, eg missing an "if" ?


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