Not too long ago Bangladesh suffered crunching bans on export of frozen shrimp due to an unscrupulous Group heavying up weight using metallic substances. The practice was abhorrent but it also spoke volumes about the inspection process of finished products at both ends of the spectrum. It required diplomacy, due diligence and a lot of persuasion before matters normalised though the suspicion hasn't fully gone away. Such is the impact on a brand image.
The uncontrolled use of chemicals to prolong shelf life of fruit and vegetables has drove people so much off the products that mango sales dropped alarmingly for the first time in years. 'Organic' or 'freehold' grown products gained preference but realistically speaking, the good earth can no longer produce the amounts of food that are required in a wasteful world. Lesser land availability in population-dense areas, subsidies for not over-producing in developed economies and indeed control of grain and vegetable growing are hitting the consumer hard.
Car manufacturers from Japan, Germany and the US have hastily recalled million plus vehicles due to technical shortcomings and concerns have been raised as to the 'mineral' nature of mineral water. In years gone by, water and milk are but two products that were pulled from the shelves and unceremoniously dumped.
As in Bangladesh's case there were calls for more careful control over chemicals sales that could be used for food adulteration. Unfortunately and despite horrific tragedies, storage of chemicals in populous neighbourhoods continues with no visible signs of relocation. It's almost as if everything is being swept under the carpet. Standards Institution hasn't been able to establish its authority strongly enough and only recently there has been a warrant of arrest issued against the Chairman of Glaxo Smithkline Beecham for making claims that Horlicks promoted taller, smarter and stronger child growth.
In the curious case of strawberries found with needles inside them, it seems much like a case of aggrieved employees backstabbing their employers. The knee-jerk reaction has been swift. Woolworths have ceased sales of sewing needles in what sadly looks like a case of cutting off the head to cure a headache. The obvious question is whether the suppliers will be subject to the bans that almost strangled the shrimp export industry for Bangladesh? Given it also opened up the case for disallowing preferential trade treatment it is only fair to expect a similar reaction by Australian authorities. The rules are usually the same. Except that, given rules are man made, there are those who are more equal than others.
