Tesco recall highlights supply chain issues

By Gwen Ridler

- Last updated on GMT

Tesco’s chicken recalls could create rising tensions between retailers and suppliers: Crimson & Co
Tesco’s chicken recalls could create rising tensions between retailers and suppliers: Crimson & Co
Tesco’s recent recall of two chicken products, reportedly the first case of campylobacter found in cooked chicken, risks creating tension between suppliers and retailers, warned business consultancy Crimson & Co.

The retailer blamed the contamination on a supplier error. Campylobacter is more commonly found in uncooked chickens.

Crimson & Co supply chain specialist and associate director Nick Miller claimed that recalls similar to Tesco’s would test relationships in the food and drink supply chain.

“Recalls like those experienced by Tesco reinforces how organisations can’t simply rest on their laurels and therefore must be engaging in continuous ways to remove threats and ensure quality within their supply chain,” ​said Miller.

‘Relationships will be tested’

‘Organisations can’t rest on their laurels’

“Recalls like those experienced by Tesco reinforces how organisations can’t simply rest on their laurels and therefore must be engaging in continuous ways to remove threats and ensure quality within their supply chain.”

Because of this, relationships will be tested. Supermarkets with any sort of concern should not be afraid to ask difficult questions of suppliers and, if their answers are not satisfactory, they must be prepared to review existing agreements and potentially walk away.”

While the number of reported cases of campylobacter was falling, Miller urged businesses not to become complacent.

He added: “The recalling of two Tesco products reinforces the ongoing challenges when tackling food safety.

“Despite recent data depicting some drop-in traces of campylobacter, high profile recalls such as this thrust firms back into the spotlight and bring to attention inefficiencies amongst organisations and their supply chains.”

Miller said that retailers would begin to scrutinise their suppliers more, which could put strain on relationships in the food and drink supply chain.

‘Serious ramifications’

Organisations could risk alienating themselves from their customers if they do not take control of their supply chains, warned Miller, as failure to do so could have “serious ramifications”​ for a brand.

“In this instance, Tesco were swift in their response, but the potentially deadly nature of bacterias such as campylobacter, means shoppers won’t think twice to take their business elsewhere if a brand is perceived to not be doing all it can to protect its customers,”​ Miller concluded.

Meanwhile, Scientists have called for a vaccine against campylobacter,​ to cut the number of contaminated chickens in supermarkets.

A vaccine was the only viable method for reducing the levels of campylobacter in the supply chain, a report from the University of Liverpool said. It claimed farmed chickens’ immune systems did not develop fast enough to fight off campylobacter by themselves, before they were sent for slaughter.

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