SAFETY IN SAMPLING

CHRISTINA VEIDERS

The threat of bioterrorism has raised food-safety issues to a new level, especially when considering product sampling.

While in-store sampling might appear to be an area of high vulnerability in light of past anthrax or product-tampering threats, fortunately there has been no fallout from recent events or any consumer reluctance to sample food or other new products, say retailers and those responsible for in-store demonstrations.

"There's been no shopper resistance to sample products," said Marc Jampole, corporate spokesman for Penn Traffic Co., Syracuse, N.Y. "It hasn't been a concern specifically for sampling but it has become a broader concern in general."

For Penn Traffic, safeguards for sampling fall under the company's general food-handling regulations. Within two days of last year's anthrax outbreaks, Penn Traffic reviewed its overall safety policies, Jampole said.

"When the anthrax scare came up we developed a detailed set of rules for supermarkets to follow and how to identify potential threats. Our overall safety policies were worked out with the guidance of health departments and safety experts," he said. As a result, key employees -- managers and assistant managers -- were trained within a week of the anthrax incidents on all company safety rules and policies and how to recognize and address potential threats. Each store made sure a trained employee was on duty at all times, said Jampole.

But as to the issue of in-store sampling, Jampole affirmed that there has been no concern from customers. "They trust us to take care and assume they are getting safe and healthy samples," he said.

A key to safe sampling is in-store coverage. Never let the demonstrator leave the sampling table. "Our policy has always been to never leave samples unattended, and have the sampling table fully staffed at all times," said Donna Banks, director of grocery, Kings Super Markets, Parsippany, N.J. She said that no safety issue or concern has developed with in-store sampling since the anthrax scare and that shoppers appear as eager as ever to sample new products.

Bob Dickson, the general council for Mass Connections, a marketing company based in Cerritos, Calif., recalls only one incident where a sampling package was mistakenly sent to the store rather than the demonstrator. The package was found in the store and questioned as suspicious. The authorities were called to inspect it. "It's important to get demo packages into demonstrators' hands and not leave them anywhere, especially a retailer's store," said Dickson.

Mass Connections recently introduced a new fulfillment system it developed with 3M Co. The Reduced Accountable Distribution (RAD) system shrink-wraps sample kits and seals them with a heavy-duty tape that is imprinted with the shipping information and scanner bars to track where the package is being sent, said Caroline Nakken, Mass Connections president. The package is sealed in such a way that it would clearly indicate if it were tampered with or the seal broken, Nakken said.

"We are doing all our fulfillment directly to the event person," explained Nakken. In the past sampling kits were sent directly to the store. The RAD system was developed for better tracking purposes and to eliminate pilferage. The system also reduces the cost of mailing the item because the scanner bar is printed on the tape. "We developed this system for other reasons than because of the anthrax scare. But this has given us a great point of advantage when it comes to sampling-safety issues," said Nakken.

Dickson said when Mass Connections develops promotions with a packaged goods manufacturer he goes over the program instructions in great detail. "Hypersensitivity is the touch word of the day now," he said.

Dickson is careful to screen for any products that may cause allergic reactions if sampled, he added, and such products require that a disclosure statement be given to shoppers with each product that could cause a potential problem.

A recent national sampling at Wal-Mart and Kmart stores of Listerine's new PocketPaks -- paper-thin breath strips that dissolve in the mouth -- caused some concern among retailers as to whether or not shoppers would be willing to take the product from demonstrators, said Mass Connections executives. However, the program resulted in product sellout, said Nakken.

"Our business is up," Nakken said. "People want to try an unknown product before they buy it."

Bert Fife, president of Bert Fife & Associates, an in-store event company based in Baton Rouge, La., said food safety and sanitation have always been a concern for the industry. "This is not a new thing. We have procedures in place -- don't leave food unattended, wear protective covering when handling food and have trained people in place," she said. David Rich, president, All-Ways/Demoworks, Wayne, N.J., agreed.

"Overall from a food-safety standpoint, the basic stuff shouldn't be overlooked. It's not just how well we are selling the product but how well we are preparing it," he said. The demo company has 2,500 demonstrators working in 15 states on the Eastern Seaboard. To check on personnel, the company does weekly audits on demonstrator performance, including the safety precautions the demonstrator is using with the food.

"You have to be proactive about these things. Just because something hasn't happened doesn't mean it won't happen," said Rich.

Accountability is important said Susan Hamilton, director of customer marketing, A&P, Montavale, N.J.

"Every demonstrator in our stores has an 'audit form' filled out by their supervisor. Additonally, every demonstrator is required to fill out a report, which includes customer feedback," she said.