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CSPI: Retailers should use loyalty card data for recalls

March 14, 2010

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has published an appeal to retailers, asking them to use the "crucial information" harvested by loyalty card programs to alert customers when food items they purchase are later recalled:

A year ago, CSPI called on retailers to use the information generated by bonus cards to contact consumers who have purchased recalled products. That’s already the practice of Costco, Wegman’s, and Price Chopper. These cards which speeded identification of the contaminated salami and prevented another giant outbreak are a valuable tool. This gets other grocery chains thinking about how they can protect their customers when the next dangerous outbreak hits.

The bonus cards swiped at grocery stores can do more than just save consumers money and generate powerful marketing databases for retailers. If a retailer knows the address, phone number, or email address of someone who has purchased contaminated peanut butter, spinach, or salami, the company should take advantage of that opportunity to prevent future illnesses from recalled products.