3. Traceability is not just a short-term commercial issue

Having shown that setting up a traceability system, both functionally and operationally, calls for a strategic approach, we now turn to the purely commercial aspects of traceability. Traceability is a buzzword [6] both in the professional world and in the consumer media, which means that many companies are announcing that they can achieve total traceability, and that, on the other hand, many suppliers are also claiming to be able to meet all traceability needs. It's a new market in which everyone's trying to get the best of the game. Nevertheless, traceability is not just a commercial issue, it's also a social issue. What's more, it's difficult to assess a priori, and sometimes even a posteriori, because of the concept's youth and complexity.