Manufacturers remain woefully unprepared as product recalls surge, according to a report compiled by customer management expert Navigator Customer Management (NCM).

Already this year, there have been over 20 food product recalls issued in the UK - nearly double the level at the same time in 2007. But contingency facilities are often insufficient to meet the sudden spike of enquiries, claimed the report.

Given the vastly increased number of phone calls during recalls, firms find that existing care line facilities are not sufficient to cope with demand, said the study. However, the rate at which recalls are rising is outstripping the rate at which appropriate contingency centres are being set up, it claimed.

NCM md Rob Denton said: "The upward trend has exposed an area of risk where many brands simply do not have contingency facilities in place. And no worse impression is created, nor brand damage done, than in the situation where a firm is uncontactable or unhelpful just when consumer concerns have been escalated."