Tweet
Condoms are just one product the BSI tests for performance. But as the recession deepens consumers are turning to cheaper brands, which could have disastrous results, says Mark Tran
Testing condoms is a time-consuming and repetitive business. BSI Product Services, the company that awards the Kitemark symbol of quality, rarely invites outsiders to its labs located in a cluster of nondescript low-rise buildings in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. It does not like to have video or audio taken on its premises, citing reasons of business confidentiality. To be admitted into the latex room is akin to gaining admission to an inner sanctum.
The condoms are subjected to two tests. In what is known as the pinhole test, condoms are attached to a machine with 14 funnels and filled with 300ml of water. Once detached from its funnel, each condom is rolled across a large piece of blotting paper to see whether any liquid has seeped out.
To verify the worthiness of a batch of 150,000 condoms, 315 are put through their paces. If three leak, the batch is scrapped. Filling the 315 condoms with water and rolling each one on blotting paper takes four and a half hours. It may seem like a monotonous job, but at least the embarrassment factor has gone.
"In the old days, assessors had to go out to the shops and buy 500 condoms at a time, which would come as a bit of a shock to the girls behind the counters," the operations manager reveals.
Testing for strength is an altogether quicker affair. The condoms are placed over air tubes, secured and filled with air until they pop. The amount of air the condoms can hold and the air pressure they can withstand before bursting determine their overall strength. Latex condoms can expand to hold at least 18 litres (five gallons).
Kitemark symbol
Condoms are one of hundreds of products tested at BSI Product Services HQ. The company is part of the British Standards Institution, a national body that sets standards on everything from accounting to zoom lenses. While hardly a household name, BSI Product Services can have a big impact on businesses and consumers through its Kitemark symbol, considered a sign of reliability and safety.
For a company seeking an edge over the competition, the voluntary Kitemark scheme is a way to rise above the crowd. In some cases it is essential for attracting customers to your brand – participants in horse riding contests must wear protective helmets that bear the sign.
Rumour has it that the symbol, carried by about 1,000 products or services, has its origins in a doodle drawn by an engineer playing around with the letters "B" and "S" during a technical meeting. While that may be apocryphal, what is not at issue is that in 1901 Sir John Wolfe-Barry – the man who designed Tower Bridge – formed a committee of engineers to consider standardising iron and steel sections. The need to indicate to buyers that goods were "up to standard" led to the creation and registration of a trademark for tramway rails in 1903. That process of standardisation – reducing the number of rail sizes from 75 to just five – and the creation of a trademark eventually evolved into today's Kitemark scheme.
The first Kitemark was awarded to Britain's General Electric Company for light fittings in 1926, while the latest – internet screening software for children – was approved in April 2008.
BSI trumpets the findings of a survey last year which found 88% of Britain's population recognise and trust the symbol. Of those that recognise it, 93% thought products with a Kitemark were safer while 91% felt they would be of better quality. But with the British economy going off the rails, BSI is worried that consumers are ditching safety and quality in the search for bargains. Those fears seem to be borne out by a more recent survey.
Quality v cost
Research commissioned by BSI Product Services last month showed 54% of respondents deemed "value for money" the primary consideration when buying goods or services. Even more worrying for a company like BSI is the fact that only 23% or people believe high quality is more important than value for money, and only 39% actively look for quality assurance marks. In response, BSI warns consumers could be at risk of buying shoddy or even dangerous goods.
Claire Lynam, head of global marketing communications at BSI, argues that in times of recession the issue of quality becomes even more paramount. She acknowledges shoppers may want to buy their fruit and vegetables at Asda or Iceland instead of Waitrose, but gives this example of someone who needs their car serviced: "There is a risk of wasting money if the job is badly done and the car needs work again in three months. Why take the risk of getting ripped off by not choosing quality? Servicing a car costs a lot more than vegetables."
BSI is trying to encourage consumers to buck the trend of buying cheap goods at all costs by checking products and services on its Kitemark website. David Ford, the managing director of BSI Product Services, also warns companies against taking short cuts in order to save costs in a slumping economy. "Making certain that your products or services are safe for your customers is of the greatest possible importance and is fundamental to success at any time, but particularly when customers are watching their expenditure."
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
More...
