Improving recall crisis management: should retailer information be disclosed?

Recalls of consumer products have increased in recent years, leading to questions of the efficacy of quality control and crisis management and calls for new policies. In the USA, food recalls are voluntary, with crisis communications only disclosing processors' names. Following a review of consumer recalls in several developed countries, the case for disclosure of retailer information is explored. Using survival analyses of critical timing measures of recalls, tests show that disclosure may benefit public health through a more rapid detection of contaminated foods. The potential costs of disclosure are also discussed. Copyright (C) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.