Whenever i hear or see this term "Product Recall" it gives me a fright. If we look back, there have always been product recalls but not as many as in past few years. If we are going technologically advance day by day, then it makes me think why more products are being recalled by companies almost from alll manufacturing segments.
All the big computer hardware manufactures must have recalled laptop batteries atleast once in last 5 years. It was a big concern until Toyota came up with a sticky gas pedal. Everyone knows it brought a huge negative goodwill to Toyota. People in US are making fun of people who think of buying a toyota today. They say the only risk of buying Toyota is the "risk of being killed in an accident" soon. People always take others opinion when buying an asset and who would buy a product if the opinion is going to be like that. People and government left no stone unturned in brutally murdering the image of a non-US giant.
Recently McDonald's recalled its promotional "Shreak forever after" mugs due to risk of potential poisoning from its paint, Kellogg's recalled its few million breakfast products, Johnson & Johnson recalled its medicines and there are so many other companies whose products are being recalled and they go unnoticed in the world market. Probably, because they are US companies.
But the issue is not about degrading countries or their products. The issue is much bigger. I would call these recalls a failure in a non-compromising preventative control. How can there be a failure in checking the quality of a product before a product leaves the company? Although its good for the consumer that there are strict regulatory agencies and faulty products are being taken out of the market as and when identified yet there are consumers who run the risk of their life by consuming or using these below-standard products in all good faith. A big corporate should not forget that a huge segment does consume their products thinking that they are paying for the promised quality. Paying compensation for the damage is not a solution at all. Life once lost cannot be recuperated by any amount
Good for western world that there are agencies and they take detective/ correction actions if the faulty product idenfied. Come to think about a country like India where tens of thousands of companies are making and selling their products to 1.3 billion Indians. As far as my knowledge goes i have not yet heard a single recall. There are people who die in India and the cause of death is never identified. I am not sure if both preventive (internal quality checks) and detective controls (external agencies) are working effectively in India. But we definitely need awareness about our rights in India and there has to be a system devoted to the nation and its people. Most of such instances are brought to light in West because people exercise their rights without hesitation and a life is considered precious.
Whether in India or abroad, there is a definitely a need for stricter regulations and checks before a product is dispatched for consumption/ usage. There should be zero compromise on this aspect. With the workforce, infrastructure, facilities and technology available today, it is very much possible to plug this loophole completely.
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India and the US represent two ends of the spectrum on this issue, I think. India is callous. There is little regard for product safety. Legal processes are loose. Hence anything goes, especially in the unorganised sector. No recalls ever. In the US, it has gone to the other extreme. Evey company is terrified of lawsuits. So even at the slightest issue, the only option is to immediately order a general recall. Even for trivial defects ( the world cannot be a 100% safe place), there is no other choice. This has been taken to the extremes. However on balance, if we have to be at an extreme, I would rather be at the American end than the Indian end.
ReplyDeleteHi Ramesh, I agree and would select America for self as well. It's true that India is callous, probably it's the system. Ironically, we are world's largest democracy and callousness is never an attribute to true democracy. I just hope that ek din grahak jaroor jagega :)
ReplyDeleteVery nicely put, Kapil. Infact, similar thoughts were doing rounds in my mind recently. I think that the problem with us is our casual approach to such things. I don't know if many of us look at expiry dates of medicines while buying it. Leave aside other edible stuffs.
ReplyDeleteI guess the extremities at US has more to do with their approach towards non-US companies. After all, a buyer who is a consumer must be reasonably informed about the usage of the product that they are buying. Having said that, there may be a few inherent risks in the products which may have adverse affects. Under these circumstances, damage control may be an option. But definitely not under a situation when the defect is significant enough to endanger the life!
Hi Vishal, it may come as a surprise from a country so careful about nutritional benefits/ calories consumption, people here hardly pay attention to the best before date of the product. There are so many times, when we visit grocery stores here and we find expired products. In all such cases, the detective control has to be there. But with manufacturing defects/ flaws - there has to be a non-compromising check before dispatch for consumption/ usage.
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