Product Liability: Implications for the Brewing Industry

Abstract

Highlights the growing impact of product liability on retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and consumers in the brewing industry. Amongst the major findings of the study are: the UK brewing industry tends to view product liability in the same way as health and safety, conform to the standards and everything will be okay – this approach considers the criminal aspects of liability but blindly ignores the dangers of increased civil activity against them; product liability problems with beer stem mainly from the packaging process where objects may have got into the bottle/can, and tampering is on the increase in the industry. Points out that brewers can protect themselves against product liability claims by ensuring technical evaluation is available on all delivered products; ISO 9000 series registration; ensuring that all products retailed are properly labelled; setting up a recall pressure plan and practising it; establishing a crisis management team and identifying the logistical support required.