Team Members

March 2009

Deal with a Food Complaint

How to…

What you need to know

•

A customer complaint may allege that illness has been caused through consumption of food sold in our store.

or

•

A customer complaint may allege that a foreign object has been found in products sold in our store.

•

Your unit Food Safety Manual gives full guidance on how to deal with such a complaint.

•

Where to find the relevant documentation.

•

What information and details need to be recorded on each document.

How we do it…

•

Be polite and concerned.

Do not argue, or offer excuses.

Do not admit liability.

•

Ideally, record the necessary information on plain paper

- the form can be completed after dealing with the customer.

Team Members

March 2009

GEN6

Unit details

Note the customer contact details.

Unit detailsDate and time, people
involved, who of those had symptoms.

Symptom details

Details if customer visited doctor

Details if customer reported incident.

Suspected food details.

Your signature and date.

Deal with a Food Complaint

How we do it…

How to…

You are responsible for…

• Following the correct procedure when

dealing with the complaint.

• Completing the appropriate

documentation.

• NEVER allowing the customer to fill in the

complaint form.

• Reporting any incidents immediately to

your Line Manager and/or your National

Health and Food Safety Manager.

Your challenge…

• Read the guidance section in your unit’s

Food Safety Manual for dealing with food

poisoning allegations and foreign body

complaints.

• Familiarise yourself with the form layout

and details required.

• Find out the contact details for your

National Health and Food Safety Manager.

Team Members

March 2009

GEN6

Unit details

The nature of the problem

Date and time

Details of the complaint

The nature of the product

Your signature and date.