PR Insider: How to Handle Communications During a Product Recall

A product recall is every PR professional’s nightmare. It’s the kind of situation that can send PR teams into panic mode, customers into outrage, and social media into an absolute frenzy.

One minute, you’re cruising along with your marketing campaigns, and the next? You’re scrambling to explain why said product might be unsafe for use. 

No company wants to deal with a product recall, but, unfortunately, they happen. That is why every company’s PR professional must be prepared for it. Handled correctly, it can be an opportunity to reinforce trust, show accountability, and come out the other side stronger than ever.

So, how do you handle communications during a product recall without worsening it? We’ll let out a few tips here. 

Don’t Sound Like a Corporate Robot, But a Human

One of the worst things you can do is let your lawyers hijack the messaging. Yes, you need legal approval. But, your recall statement shouldn’t sound like a robotic, legal-speak-filled press release. 

People are already stressed about your product causing potential harm. Sounding cold and detached will infuriate them. 

Compliance matters, but so does sounding human. Be direct. Use clear, empathetic language. Say what happened, how it happened, and what you are doing about it.

McDonald’s press release regarding a recall of onions from the Colorado facility of Taylor Farms is an example. 

Last year in October, the FDA linked onions from the facility to an outbreak of E. coli. The newly released report revealed that the outbreak affected at least 49 people all over America, most of whom belonged to Colorado. 

The statement the fast-food restaurant company issued after the product recall didn’t read like a robot wrote it. Rather, it sounded like the company cared. 

Flood Every Communication Channel

Some companies make the mistake of only announcing recalls through one channel—usually a dry press release buried in their website’s “News” section. Big mistake.

A single press release isn’t enough. You need to communicate across every channel your customers use. 

Post an announcement on your social media pages like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Pin it to the top, so it doesn’t get lost in the feed. Send out emails with clear instructions. If you have an app, push a notification.  

Your website should have a dedicated recall page with all the details: what’s wrong, what customers need to do, and how they can contact you. 

Case in point—Similac ready-to-feed liquid product recall. In October 2022, Abbott, the manufacturer of Similac baby formula, initiated a proactive, voluntary recall of certain lots, including Similac Pro-Total Comfort and Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive. 

Amidst the ongoing toxic baby formula NEC lawsuits, Abbott launched an entire website—www.similacrecall.com—to inform customers about what happened. 

A little backstory: Abbott was accused of selling toxic baby formula that caused NEC or necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants. NEC is a serious intestinal disease that affects premature infants’ intestines. 

Besides Abbott, parents sued Mead Johnson—the manufacturer of Enfamil. According to TorHoerman Law, parents alleged that the manufacturers failed to warn them, as well as healthcare providers, of the risk of NEC in preemies. 

Make it Easy for Customers to Take Action

Asking people to return a product or get a refund? Make the process as painless as possible. 

Don’t make your customers jump through hoops, dig through complex instructions, or wait on hold for an hour to get help. That will make an already bad situation worse.

No one wants to read a five-page document to figure out how to return something. Give them a straightforward, no-nonsense action plan. That is to say, share a detailed step-by-step process that they can follow. 

People will have questions, and you don’t want to leave them on hold for 45 minutes. Make sure to have a dedicated hotline or chatbot for quick responses. 

Offer easy refunds and replacements, even if they cannot offer proof of purchase. Your customers will remember how easy you made things for them. 

The easier you make it, the smoother things go, and the more likely customers are to trust you again.

Show That You’re Learning From This

Every crisis is an opportunity—yes, even a recall. Customers don’t expect perfection, but they do expect honesty and accountability. 

If you handle the recall with transparency, empathy, and swift action, you might turn angry customers into loyal ones.

Once the dust settles, follow up. Show customers what changes you’ve made to prevent future issues. This could be strengthening quality control, updating testing procedures, changing suppliers, and adding an independent safety review. 

Whatever it is, share it. Customers want to see that you care enough to fix the root problem, not just slap a Band-Aid.

No company wants to deal with a recall, but handling it the right way can strengthen customer trust. The key for PR professionals is to be proactive, transparent, and human in communication. 

People will forgive a company that makes a mistake. But what they won’t forgive is a company that mishandles it. Do it right, and your brand’s reputation might just come out stronger than before.