What’s in your crisis communication plan?
A sweet surprise?
It’s more like a terrible nightmare.
The usually ‘happy world’ of Haribo has been turned upside down, with the brand at the centre of extensive media coverage after recalling some of its popular sweets.
The candy giant took action after its sweet packets were found to contain cannabis in the Netherlands.
According to reports, the issue was discovered when a family felt ill after eating Happy Cola F!ZZ and contacted the police.
The food safety authority in the Netherlands said the family reported feeling “dizziness” after eating the sweets.
So far, only the three contaminated bags have been identified.
But Haribo is recalling the entire batch in the Netherlands as a precaution. And an investigation is underway to determine how drugs ended up in the sweets.
It’s a move that has generated global coverage. Here’s a taste of the headlines.
That’s a lot of coverage for three packets of sweets.
What has the company said about the incident?
A company spokesperson told The Sun: "The incident is contained to the Netherlands, to a specific product and batch.
"Haribo products in the UK are not affected.
"The safety of our consumers is our highest priority and Haribo takes this incident very seriously, which is why a recall has been issued in the Netherlands.
"Haribo is working closely with the authorities to support their investigation and establish the facts around the contamination."
From a crisis media management perspective, the company appears to have responded well overall.
It has acted quickly and decisively, issuing a full recall when only a small number of contaminated bags have been identified.
It has provided reassurance by stressing the issue is restricted to the Netherlands.
And the investigation with the relevant authorities shows action is underway to understand what has happened and try to prevent something similar from happening in the future.
If we were to be critical, there could be some concern shown for those who consumed the sweets and felt unwell.
Something like, “We are devastated to learn that people have felt unwell while eating our sweets”, would improve the response.
This is, of course, not the first weird confectionary recall.
Last year, a food bank in New Zealand unknowingly distributed candy filled with a potentially lethal dose of methamphetamine in its food parcels. The sweets reportedly had a high street value of NZ$ 1,000.
Closer to home, Mars recalled bags of Revels in 2023 because of fears they may contain rubber.
So, what’s the best way to manage a crisis caused by a product recall?
It is a question often asked during our crisis communication training courses.
And that is understandable - there seems to be more and more product recalls in the news. As I finished writing this crisis comms blog, I noticed recalls in the news for a popular baby food over lead contamination fears and jewellery sold on Amazon that 'may cause cancer'.
Here are some tips for managing a problem that no business wants.
Prepare
As with all key crisis media management situations, preparation is vital.
Of course, you cannot prepare for all scenarios. And Haribo had no way of knowing some of its sweets could become contaminated with cannabis.
But it is inevitable at some point that a brand will have to recall a product - you cannot assume it is something which happens to other organisations.
The better you prepare, the quicker you can react.
Ensure plans are in place, and regularly review and test them to ensure they work.
Act quickly
And that leads us neatly to acting quickly.
As with any crisis media management, being able to respond quickly is critical.
If there is a health or safety risk, as there appears to be with the Haribo incident, then there are obvious reasons why information needs to be released swiftly.
But acting quickly also helps organisations gain control of the narrative, prevent the spread of misinformation, retain trust and reduce the threat to brand image.
Drafting holding statements in advance that can be easily adapted to cover a specific incident is a vital way of making this happen.
Show you care
“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Not our words – they belong to former US President Theodore Roosevelt.
But it is a quote we often refer to during our crisis communication training courses.
Apologise – meaningfully - for the issues that have led to the recall. And show empathy and concern, even if it is not your fault.
Also, try to sound human. A dry, corporate-sounding response is unlikely to include the required compassion.
Consider
Another part of showing you care is attempting to answer and address the questions, frustrations and fears customers are likely to have.
What are the risks?
How big is the issue?
What should they do if they are impacted?
How can they return the product?
Being able to answer these sorts of questions and provide some clarity offers reassurance, and shows customers you understand their worries.
And that can help mitigate the negative impact of the crisis.
Action
It is an essential part of crisis media management.
And it applies to product recalls.
People want to know what steps you are taking to solve the issue and ensure something similar is avoided in the future.
It can be as simple as confirming that an investigation has been launched and discussing what partner agencies you are working with to solve the situation.
Communicate and keep communicating
Keep communicating throughout the recall process.
Ensure you update customers about your investigation and any new developments.
And make sure they are aware of any outcomes and changes you intend to make to prevent something similar from happening.
The more you communicate, the more likely you are to rebuild trust and win back customers – a pretty sweet outcome.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with nearly 40 years of experience.
We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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