• The Washington Post , Tuesday, August 12, 2008 10:31 AM

As part of an effort to restore confidence in its products, Whole Foods will inspect all shipments of meat and tighten its guidelines for suppliers following the recall of two months' worth of ground beef that potentially was contaminated with E. coli.

Whole Foods sets a high bar, positioning itself as more socially conscious than its competitors. It has been a leader in retailers' green movement, recently tightening its policies on farmed seafood, for example. Its hormone-free meats and pesticide-free produce attract throngs of affluent shoppers. But those customers are often demanding.

The company has been criticized for not stocking only organic produce and even for carrying sugar on its shelves. Gene Grabowski, chair of the crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications, says Whole Foods must be transparent with its customers in order to repair its image but also suggests that shoppers temper their expectations. "We do not live in a risk-free world," he says.

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