Instructions Week 5: Term Project Part 3 -Referenced Outline Write an updated abstract and updated detailed outline of your research topic paper with at least four references. This outline can follow

Ethical Behavior Manufacturing Companies and Retail Stores

Dexter Harris Jr

American Public University

RLMT307

Professor Stites

January 5, 2023

Introduction

Manufacturing companies and retail stores face paramount ethical considerations in managing returned food and beverage products to ensure consumer safety; this is crucial for preserving industry integrity. This paper explores these moral dilemmas, drawing on real-life examples like the 2008 Peanut Corporation of America scandal; a 2019 supermarket chain controversy further exemplifies the potential consequences that can arise from lapses in ethics. Preserving public trust and safeguarding consumer well-being in the intricate landscape of the food and beverage industry necessitates us navigating these ethical challenges, from risks of contamination through issues concerning transparency to matters of proper disposal.

Ethical Issues in Manufacturing Companies

When manufacturing companies grapple with returned food and beverage products, they confront substantial ethical challenges. Of particular prominence is the risk of product tampering or contamination. The Peanut Corporation of America knowingly shipped contaminated peanut products in 2008, triggering a nationwide food safety crisis that inflicted a widespread salmonella outbreak in the United States (Hasnan et al., 2022). The incident underscored that handling returned products necessitates ethical behavior. Any negligence may precipitate severe consequences for public health.

Transparency is a pivotal ethical consideration in manufacturing: Companies should be forthcoming about reasons for product returns and maintain effective communication with consumers. Misleading information or concealing the true nature of returned products can erode trust and tarnish a company's reputation. A major global food company in 2015 faced significant criticism: it had failed to disclose the presence of allergens in its products. This omission, a breach of transparency, violated ethical standards and placed consumer well-being at grave risk.

Ethical Issues in Retail Stores

When retail stores manage returned food and beverage products, they, too, face ethical dilemmas, primarily a concern about the risk involved in reselling these items. Some retailers might succumb to reintroducing returned merchandise without proper inspections; this action could potentially jeopardize their customers' health, which is an alarming issue (Huang et al., 2021). When a significant supermarket chain revealed in 2019 that they were repackaging and selling returned meat products to consumers, it faced significant backlash. Beyond violating health regulations, this practice betrayed customer trust; consequently, it was an ethical breach of considerable magnitude.

Properly disposing of returned items presents another ethical issue in retail: Retailers must guarantee the environmentally friendly handling of perishable goods. Methods involving improper disposal, for instance, dumping edible products in landfills, significantly contribute to food waste and environmental degradation. A retail giant in 2021 faced criticism: it had been discarding unsold and returned groceries in landfills. This action underscored the pressing need for a more ethical approach to waste management.

Conclusion

Maintaining consumer trust and safeguarding public health necessitate ethical conduct when handling returned food and beverage products. Manufacturing companies and retail stores, interconnected yet distinct entities, confront a slew of challenges: transparency issues, communication gaps, and improper disposal methods, to name just a few. Instances from reality, such as the peanut contamination crisis or the repackaging of returned meat products, emphasize directly how crucial it is to sustain high ethical benchmarks within all aspects of supply chain management. When stakeholders prioritize transparency, responsible disposal practices, and stringent quality control measures in handling returned food and beverage products, they foster an inherently more ethical industry.

References

Hasnan, N. Z. N., Basha, R. K., Amin, N. A. M., Ramli, S. H. M., Tang, J. Y. H., & Ab Aziz, N. (2022). Analysis of the most frequent nonconformance aspects of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food industry and their main factors. Food Control, 141, 109205.

Huang, I. Y., Manning, L., James, K. L., Grigoriadis, V., Millington, A., Wood, V., & Ward, S. (2021). Food waste management: A review of retailers’ business practices and their implications for sustainable value. Journal of Cleaner Production, 285, 125484.