Traceability and Transparency – popular but confusing terms because often used as buzzwords. Let’s compare them in a simple way using figures for food recall cases
In the US average recall costs $10M however can hit manufacturer up to $100M. At the same time causing an immediate effect for capitalization ~2.4% drop in share price every day. In case recall will be handled poorly it may cause average ~22% total share price drop.
Traceability — mostly may help to identify faster the source of outbreaks but has little chances to provide inventory visibility where all potentially dangerous products located now. Multiple additional investigations, inventory inspections, removals, losses will occur. Moreover – almost no chance to identify directly certain consumers purchased dangerous products
Transparency which is not possible to achieve without end-to-end supply chain digitalization – it’s an opportunity not just identify a source, limit negative effect by setting exact time frames of outbreaks but due to real-time inventory visibility in a matter of second “switch off” all certain products (minimum salable units) and immediately inform consumers already purchased products