Subject category:
Marketing
Published by:
IBS Center for Management Research
Length: 13 pages
Data source: Published sources
Abstract
The case discusses the crisis faced by Coca-Cola in Europe, particularly Belgium, in which people, mostly school children, fell ill after consuming its products in mid-1999. Coca-Cola had to recall about 30 million cans and bottles, the largest ever product recall in its 113- year history. For the first time, the entire inventory of Coca-Cola's products in Belgium was banned from sale. The case describes the crisis in detail and discusses how Coca-Cola managed it. The way Coca-Cola handled the Belgian crisis was a classic example of one of the worst public relations fiascos in the corporate history. The case also highlights the need and importance of a crisis management plan to prevent such fiascos in future. The case is designed to help students critically analyse the public relation issues involved during Coca-Cola's Belgian crisis.
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for postgraduate courses.About
Abstract
The case discusses the crisis faced by Coca-Cola in Europe, particularly Belgium, in which people, mostly school children, fell ill after consuming its products in mid-1999. Coca-Cola had to recall about 30 million cans and bottles, the largest ever product recall in its 113- year history. For the first time, the entire inventory of Coca-Cola's products in Belgium was banned from sale. The case describes the crisis in detail and discusses how Coca-Cola managed it. The way Coca-Cola handled the Belgian crisis was a classic example of one of the worst public relations fiascos in the corporate history. The case also highlights the need and importance of a crisis management plan to prevent such fiascos in future. The case is designed to help students critically analyse the public relation issues involved during Coca-Cola's Belgian crisis.