Campbell Soup Company: An Advocate for Mandatory GMO Labeling

Author
Buffington, G.
Region
North America
Topic
Strategy & General Management
Length
20 pages
Keywords
customer communication
customer relations
Food and Beverage
reputation management
retail
Copyright Holder
Notre Dame
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students

Campbell’s Soup Company released a statement on January 7, 2016 announcing its support of mandatory national labeling of products that may contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and became the first major food company to begin disclosing GMO ingredients in its products. How will this affect brand reputation, sales, and customer loyalty? What strategies should the company use in the future to communicate its position in the highly contentious GMO debate?

Learning Outcomes
  1. To encourage analysis of a changing business strategy during times of industry turmoil.
  2. To provide an example of how a company decision to change its policy impacts its reputation.
  3. To highlight the tension that arises as a company attempts to meet the changing needs of its consumers with the need to maintain growth and profitability.
  4. To demonstrate how a corporation’s actions will be held to a standard set by its corporate philosophy, but also the standards set by the public.
  5. To encourage discussion regarding the responsibility food processing companies have to inform their consumers of the nature of ingredients in their food.
  6. To encourage analysis of the communication channels a company can use to interact and align with consumers.