8: Product Quality and Safety

Product quality refers to the ability of the product to satisfy the needs of the customer, serve its purpose and meet the various industry standards. On the other hand, product safety is a term used to describe the various policies designed to safeguard the users from the use of consumer products.

It is the ability of the products to be safe for intended use when assessed against a set of established set of standards and rules.

Several factors are taken into consideration while assessing the product quality and safety of any consumer product. Usually, these factors include whether or not the product suits the customer’s requirements, works efficiently, has any design defects, misrepresentation as to use, and solves a problem. Companies use various perspectives to assess the quality of products. These include value-based perspectives, manufacturing perspectives, customer perspective, transcendental perspective, and product-based perspective. Using these perspectives, one can assess product quality according to the following criteria.

• Product lifespan and durability
• Performance and intended function
• Customer’s perception of the product
• Product serviceability
• Contents of the product
• Mandatory instructions or warnings that come with the product
• Conformity to product specifications

Importance of product quality and safety

Product quality and safety play a crucial role in building the brand’s reputation among consumers. When companies create high-quality products that fulfill the customer’s needs, it leads to reduced production costs, increased revenue, and higher returns on investment. Companies create products to fill a void in the marketplace. From a consumer's point of view, they expect the product to fill the void as advertised by the manufacturer. Quality products help customers solve their problems in effective ways. An effective product quality and safety management system also help companies steer clear of any legal consequences by staying compliant with various quality standards applicable to their products. Some of the benefits of having an efficient product quality management system include the following.

• Reduced quality costs
• Minimized product defects
• Improved brand reputation

Industry best practices

Here is a list of best practices for companies to ensure product quality and safety.

1. Adhering to the FMCG standards for food companies

Companies manufacturing food products for direct consumption must note that consumer safety should be their primary concern. Consuming unsafe food may cause a variety of health conditions. The reason behind this necessarily need not be due to food quality but the presence of foreign particles like hair, chemicals, rocks, eggshells, glass, and plastic. Food safety is not subject to production quality alone but the entire supply chain. Packaging defects, mislabeling, food contamination, and spoilage are the reasons behind food recalls. Adherence to the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) standards, such as the location of the production facility, helps food companies deliver high-quality and safe products. Companies can achieve those goals by incorporating the following practices in their product quality management system.

• Maintaining personnel health and hygiene
• Designated storage for cleaning and chemical agents
• Usage of appropriate tools and equipment
• Obtaining food safety certification
• Communicating the product quality to retailers
  Supply chain traceability also plays a crucial role in identifying potential risks during the packaging and delivery process of the product.

2. Management of chemicals in products for the Apparel, Accessories & Footwear Industry

The use of potentially harmful or harmful chemicals in the manufacturing process of apparel, footwear, and accessories is a rising concern when it comes to product safety and quality. Traces of harmful chemicals that can deteriorate the well-being of the consumer have been found in the finished products. The use of hazardous or heavy metal chemicals like Dimethyl Fumarate (DMF) and Chromium is common in the footwear industry. Any such harmful substances can be carcinogenic and disrupt hormone activity in human beings, subject to the chemical and the type of exposure. The presence of harmful substances in the products can lead to severe legalities accompanied by tarnishing brand reputation. Companies must focus on switching to less toxic chemical alternatives to ensure the safety of consumers. Eliminating harmful chemicals from the supply chain and making a shift towards green chemistry is one of the best ways to deliver high-quality and safe products to consumers but also stand out from the competition.

3. Integrating an efficient Risk Management Plan for companies manufacturing medical appliances

The consequences of product failure or inefficiency are high when it comes to medical appliances as they may cost a human life. Companies manufacturing medical appliances ought to focus on product quality and safety right from the inception of the product, i.e., the design phase. An efficient risk management plan ensures safety and quality at each milestone of the product life cycle, whether its design or manufacturing. Risk management allows companies to:

• Boost their credibility as a manufacturer
• Reduce costs incurred due to product recalls
• Stay compliant with global regulations

Risk analysis, evaluation, and control are the three primary components of an efficient risk management plan. It is the sole responsibility of the manufacturer to identify any possible hazards associated with their product under normal and faulty conditions. Risks caused by human error must also be considered while evaluating these risks. Altering the risk levels from unacceptable to acceptable levels via making changes to the design and manufacturing process plays a crucial role. Providing precautions and warnings on the product label about such risks also helps the process.

Case Study

Nestle Waters: Infinity QS

One of the renowned and leading bottled water companies in the world, Nestle Waters is known for its constant efforts to improve the quality of their products. With its operations spread across 30 countries, a portfolio of 48 brands, and 87 manufacturing sites, Nestle Waters waters had to standardize its operations via an integrated system that offers real-time visibility of the production processes. The brand named it Infinity QS. Before the development of Infinity QS, the company relied on a paper-based system to collect and analyze quality data. These practices were hindering the production process as quality engineers had to disrupt production processes to gather the required data whenever an issue emerged.

Having access to real-time visibility of the production process and quality data has benefited Nestle Waters make better decisions about the betterment of quality. Through Infinity QS, the brand was able to implement quality improvement projects like:

• LightWeight Bottle Initiative: To enable process optimization and reduce unnecessary full bottle testing procedures.
• Cap Torque and application analysis: The project helps the retail factories compare different cap vendors.

Apart from the quality improvement projects mentioned above, Infinity QS also helped the brand improve the overall event response time. With real-time visibility, plant floor operators can evaluate, review and respond to any events before they result in any quality concerns.