PR Case Study Tesco Horsemeat Scandal 
Case Study
Tesco Horsemeat Scandal
This case study analyses the horsemeat scandal, which involved several companies, included Tesco. Tesco is the UK 's largest retailer and one of the world 's leading international retailers. Tesco has more than 6,000 stores worldwide, employing almost 520,000 people (Tesco PLC, 2013a). Tesco operates in 12 different countries across Asia and Europe. Food and beverage retail is the main Tesco’s business but electronic device and clothing retail as Tesco bank and Tesco mobile are now important businesses of this huge group.
On the 15th January 2013, the horsemeat scandal hit Tesco together with other retailers. Tesco in this case faced two problems in one. Firstly they sold illegal food, because the provenience and the ingredients used in every food must be on the tag of the product, and horsemeat was not on it. Secondly in the UK horsemeat is almost considered as eating a dog and selling product with horsemeat in it has created also an ethical issue. We can relate this scandal with PR thanks to the PRCA Healthcare Public Relations, which is defined as the area of public relations activity involving ethical (prescription only) medicines, medicines available only under the supervision of a pharmacist (‘P’ category), proprietary (‘over-the counter’) and other products such as food and drink items which are promoted under a health claim as well as health services such as primary (GP, nurses and pharmacists) and secondary (hospital) healthcare services (PRCA code of conduct). The FSAI (Food Safety Authority of Ireland) founded horse DNA in beef burger sold by different supermarket chains included Tesco. The FSAI point out that “The products we have identified as containing horse DNA do not pose any food safety risk and consumers should not be worried.”
How did Tesco face such a huge crisis? It is of primary importance to be reactive to such problems, it gives the impression of handling the situation and that everything is under
Tesco Horsemeat Scandal
This case study analyses the horsemeat scandal, which involved several companies, included Tesco. Tesco is the UK 's largest retailer and one of the world 's leading international retailers. Tesco has more than 6,000 stores worldwide, employing almost 520,000 people (Tesco PLC, 2013a). Tesco operates in 12 different countries across Asia and Europe. Food and beverage retail is the main Tesco’s business but electronic device and clothing retail as Tesco bank and Tesco mobile are now important businesses of this huge group.
On the 15th January 2013, the horsemeat scandal hit Tesco together with other retailers. Tesco in this case faced two problems in one. Firstly they sold illegal food, because the provenience and the ingredients used in every food must be on the tag of the product, and horsemeat was not on it. Secondly in the UK horsemeat is almost considered as eating a dog and selling product with horsemeat in it has created also an ethical issue. We can relate this scandal with PR thanks to the PRCA Healthcare Public Relations, which is defined as the area of public relations activity involving ethical (prescription only) medicines, medicines available only under the supervision of a pharmacist (‘P’ category), proprietary (‘over-the counter’) and other products such as food and drink items which are promoted under a health claim as well as health services such as primary (GP, nurses and pharmacists) and secondary (hospital) healthcare services (PRCA code of conduct). The FSAI (Food Safety Authority of Ireland) founded horse DNA in beef burger sold by different supermarket chains included Tesco. The FSAI point out that “The products we have identified as containing horse DNA do not pose any food safety risk and consumers should not be worried.”
How did Tesco face such a huge crisis? It is of primary importance to be reactive to such problems, it gives the impression of handling the situation and that everything is under
Bibliography: Tesco PLC, 2013a. Tesco comments on FSAI beef survey. [press release] 15 January 2013. Available at: http://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=17&newsid=725 Tesco PLC, 2013b. Tesco Statement on investigation into meat contamination. [press release] Available at: http://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=17&newsid=732 FSAY, 2013. FSAI Survey Finds Horse DNA in Some Beef Burger Products. [press release] 15 January 2013. Available at: http://www.fsai.ie/news_centre/press_releases/horseDNA15012013.html Coombs, W., Holladay, S., 2010. The Handbook of Crisis Communication. [ebook] Eiley-Blackwell. Available at: https://www.dawsonera.com/readonline/9781444314892# PR Circle, 2013a. On-going Crisis: Horsemeat Scandal at Tesco. [online] Available at: http://liyiprworld.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/ongoing-crisis-horsemeat-scandal-at-tesco1/ PR Circle, 2013b. On-going Crisis: Horsemeat Scandal at Tesco. [online] Available at: http://liyiprworld.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/ongoing-crisis-horsemeat-scandal-at-tesco-part-2/ Google Trends, 2013. Google trends – Web Search interest: tesco horse – Worldwide, Jan-Apr 2013. [online] Available at: http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=tesco%20horse&date=1%2F2013%204m&cmpt=date PRCA code of conduct: http://www.prca.org.uk/assets/files/AboutUs/Files/PRCA_Codes_of_conduct_and_Professional_charter.pdf