New research from recall specialists Stericycle Expert Solutions has found an overall rise of six per cent in the number of items recalled by key industries across Europe in 2019, with food and drink products responsible for two thirds of the overall total.

The research, detailed in Stericycle’s ‘State of the Recall Nation’ report, analysed nearly 6,000 products recalled over the course of the year, and found that 4,001 food and drink items were recalled.

Over 900 of the 4,001 products were sent back as a result of pathogenic microorganisms, such as salmonella, clostridium perfringens and campylobacter.

Mark Buckingham, recall consultant at Stericycle Expert Solutions, said: “The fact remains that businesses still need to make sure they’re prepared as errors can always occur. And, while it’s impossible to fully eliminate production mistakes, careful planning can significantly mitigate the damage.

“With more regulatory hurdles on the horizon, every business has to make sure they have a strong recall strategy in place as a poorly handled recall has the potential to do irreparable financial and reputational damage to any company.”