BRCGS Food Safety Standard

The BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety is regarded as a benchmark for compliance to good practice in food industry standards and is a GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) recognised Standard. 

The BRCGS Food Safety Standard (often shortened to BRC Food Safety) is the leading GFSI certification scheme in the UK, with many UK retailers preferring their tier 1 suppliers to hold a BRCGS Food Safety certificate. The British Standards Institution (BSI) is an approved certification body for BRCGS Global Standards certification schemes, and provides audits and training against the BRCGS Food Safety Standard.

The BRCGS are commonly referred to as the British Retail Consortium, due to old information and previous ownership. BRCGS now stands for Brand Reputation Compliance. 

Currently in Issue 9 of the standard.

A BRCGS Food Safety Audit can be conducted as either announced or unannounced. 

Announced BRCGS Food Safety Audits are graded A-D, and U (uncertified). If a U is attained, re-audit is required before certification can be awarded. Grades A-D are awarded on the basis of the number and severity of corrective actions identified in the BRCGS Food Safety audit. 

Food Manufacturers and Suppliers can achieve a higher BRC audit grade of AA+ in an unannounced BRCGS Food Safety Audit. All audit grades (other than U) attained via an unannounced audit will gain a ‘+’ to the letter of the audit grade. Some companies prefer their suppliers to comply to unannounced audits, and others (including retailers) mandate unannounced audits as a requirement for their suppliers.

The scope and audit duration of individual audits will be unique to individual food manufacturing facilities. The requirements to achieve a BRCGS Food Safety Certificate are contained in the clauses of the BRCGS Food Safety Standard. The key areas that the BRCGS Food Safety Standard (Version 7) covers are:

• Senior Management Commitment
• The Food Safety Plan- HACCP
• Food Safety and Quality Management System
• Site Standards
• Product Control
• Process Control
• Personnel