Quality assurance
Quality assurance is based on the idea that quality is everybody’s responsibility.
Sainsbury's emphasis is on trying to ensure goods and services are produced free of faults. Quality assurance in Sainsbury's is based on the belief that if everybody involved in the production of that product or service is really committed to ensuring faults are eliminated, they can be.
The involvement of all Sainsbury's staff is crucial; quality is not just the responsibility of the quality control department.
As you can see for quality control to be effective within the store all the departments have an important role in checking the products a final time before they are ready for sale.
Sainsbury’s self checking and inspection
Sainsbury's quality control involves inspections of the output products to ensure that is meets the quality standard with satisfactory out being passed and unsatisfactory output being rejected, and if possible reworked or scrapped.
Bread production
Sainsbury’s in-store bakers are fully trained and follow strict specifications and guidelines concerning quality control. After every batch production is baked, random samples are removed for quality control. The visual check looks at the inside and outside of the bread.
This helps Sainsbury's to add value to their products as they are decreasing the number of batches with faults, customers will notice that the bread is well checked as they very rarely come across a loaf that is not satisfactory.
Vegetable production
the stir-fry is one of the first products made at the plant to avoid any potential cross contamination with non-organic ingredients. There are assigned quality control assistants who check the vegetables as they can often be damaged or bruised through transportation.
This will add value to Sainsbury's vegetables as they are looked after and carefully dealt with avoiding any damaging. Customers do not want to buy products that do not look 100% satisfactory so by removing the ‘faulted’ products here they will not pick up any vegetables that they will not be happy with. In time they will notice that the products they buy are always of a high standard.
Fruit production
on receipt of every batch fruit, operators on random samples carry out quality control checks. The quality control checks include a visual inspection of the fruit, for example to ensure that there is no bruising or rot damage. In addition colour charts helps the operator assess the condition and ripeness of the fruit.
This will help to add value as customers will be pleased that the fruit they buy is of a good condition, and it is of a high standard. The fruit needs to be ripe and ready to eat, therefore customers will be satisfied.
Can production / Tin production
a random number of cans and tins are removed from the production line every hour. If there is a problem the operator who is performing the test can stop the production. To show how important quality control is to Sainsbury's here is an example; the production manager reviewed the production of the same soup for the last six hours, just to ensure they were to 110% satisfactory.
This will help to add value as there will be less faulted products, therefore the customers will see well kept and good quality products on the shelf, this means they are likely to buy at Sainsbury's again as they are satisfied with the quality of the products on offer.
Pork meat production
A quality assurance inspector checks the meat when delivered. A sample of the meat, which is delivered, is compared to photographs of meat cuts.
This ensures that the meat is of a high standard and looks like it is meant to. Customers like their meat different but the quality is the most important. If the meat they purchase is of a high standard they are more likely to buy more or to return at another time.
Sainsbury's take HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) procedures very seriously. They ensure food quality of a consistent standard. Sainsbury’s staff are fully trained and follow strict specifications and guidelines. Random sampling and visible checks are used within production.
The FSA (food safety agency) advocates the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system of food safety management as the most effective way for food businesses to ensure consumer protection.