5 replies to this topic

[Drea]

Hi all, I'm working on updating our policy for customer returns for non food safety related issues. But Im having a hard time trying to explain it or if its even considered rework. 2 most common scenarios: 1. Return from customer due to UPC on the packaging not scanning. 2. Return from customer for them over ordering. For some background, we sell frozen food. If we ask the customer for: -Receiving and shipping record -Frozen storage temperature record during days the products were stored -Transit record -Temperature record during transit if possible Having that information is scenario #1 rework, recoup, or none of those if we change the packaging? and for scenario #2 no change is made to the actual product or packaging, if no issues are found and everything is in compliance how would you classify it? Thanks,

[nwilson]

Rework I define as incorporating like to like in a formulation or reprocessing. 

Definition: To work again or anew: such as, revise, to reprocess (something, such as used material) for further use. 

 

What you are describing is repackaging (#1) and general customer/vendor return (#2).  You are not manipulating the formula or products again. 

 

Your receiving inspections and documentation requested all seem to be inline and are acceptable for product control as well.    

[jfrey123]

From SQF:

Rework: Food, materials, and ingredients, including work-in-progress that has left the normal product flow and requires action to be taken on it before it is acceptable for release and is suitable for reuse within the process.

 

1.  If you're physically repackaging it, do you have a flow chart that describes how to simply repackage?  Or does your HACCP flow chart address material entering your stream from your own finished packages as a possible input?  To me, it wholly depends on what your process is for repackaging:

• If it has to run through your processing lines or machines, I'd likely consider it rework. 
• If the repackaging is as simple as like taking a sealed frozen tv tray from one outer box and placing it into a new outer box with the same lot/date coding, then that would make sense to call it repack.  But if you change the lot coding, rework.

2.  Seems like a return to me.  Gives me the heebee jeebies though when you say "Temperature record during transit if possible"....  It's one thing to let a customer return a shelf-stable product for credit, but when you're dealing with something temp-controlled and perishable, I'd have serious reservations even with all of the proper documentation.

[Scampi]

Customer returns should NEVER enter the food chain in the "original" format again (not talking about just relabeling)

 

You could open and send to render/further processing but 100% not into retail sales 

 

The world is full of people who like to anonymously cause harm, that should be top of mind for you, you have had ZERO control and have no idea what has happened to your product since the store received it

 

We don't even put product that was left on our customers dock for 1 hour go back for sale, that is further processing stuff only

[SQFconsultant]

jfrey123 wrote in part:

 

"2.  Seems like a return to me.  Gives me the heebee jeebies though when you say "Temperature record during transit if possible"....  It's one thing to let a customer return a shelf-stable product for credit, but when you're dealing with something temp-controlled and perishable, I'd have serious reservations even with all of the proper documentation."

 

I have also have very serious reservations even if the docs appear to be perfect, we all know that docs are not always what they seem to be.  

 

This came to light when I was at a rather diversified seafood filet and distributor of live clams, oysters, mussels, lobster, crab, etc and as I sat there the shipping manager mentioned that they have some restaurants that have a habit of over-ordering so after several days they may return some items that the seafood facility takes and "reworks" and ships back out again to another restaurant, etc.

 

He said they are very careful, especially with sleepers  - (these are near death or dead lobsters and crabs) that he said are "re-vitalized" and go under the rework category.

 

I'm not saying anymore except that once product leaves the shipping dock we have no idea what really happens and even if its a scanning issue we take it back, list it out and dump it.

 

Heebee Jeebee's is right on!

 

As we always said in my Chef days, when in doubt, throw it out.

 

 

As a side note we do have a bakery that ships at ambient temperature and takes returns - those returns (if reworked) are listed as "Recovery & Rework."

Edited by SQFconsultant, 13 November 2024 - 07:45 PM.

[Tony-C]

Hi Drea,

 

 

Welcome to the IFSQN forums

 

As per previous posts this is not rework.

 

The only way in which I would consider sending out frozen product again is if the product has remained within company control/management throughout the delivery and return process including product security and temperature control.

 

So if one of your own deliveries by your own transport with your own records had a delivery that was rejected because a label wouldn’t scan then if it was returned secure and had been maintained at the correct temperature and you had records to confirm this then you could relabel and send it out again.

 

Anything that has been out of company control/management should be discarded.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony