Overview

The BRC (British Retail Consortium) Global Standards are specification developed by British Retail Consortium in response to the needs of UK members of the consortium. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is the trade association of range of independent retailers, large multiples and department stores, selling a wide range of products. The BRC Global Standards are used by suppliers and global retailers. BRC standards specify requirements for standardization of quality, safety, operational criteria and manufacturers’ fulfillment of legal obligations. They also help provide protection to the consumer.

The BRC is a food safety certification and the standard is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), which aims to harmonize international food safety standards with the help of the world’s top retailers and food manufacturers.

The BRC Global Standards are a group of four industry-leading Technical Standards that specify requirements to be met by an organization to enable the production, packaging, storage and distribution of safe food and consumer products. BRC training is required to implement the same at any organisation.

The BRC Global Standards are a set of four Technical Standards:

BRC Global standard For Food
BRC Global Standard for packaging & Packaging Material
BRC Global standard for consumer product
BRC Global standard for Storage & Distribution

The BRC Global Standard for Food

The Standard was developed to help retailers to comply legal obligations and protection of the Consumer, by providing a common basis for the audit of companies supplying retailer branded food products. Since the introduction of the UK Food Safety Act, the obligations placed upon the UK retailer have now become best practice across much of the supply chain and therefore manufacturers have accepted the principles of the Standard as a means of providing critical elements of their due diligence systems.

The BRC Global Standard – Food is based on the fundamental principles of the retailers’ own standards and has been continuously upgraded based on the requirements of both retailers and their suppliers.

The Standard requires:

Implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
A documented and effective quality management system
The control of factory environment standards, products, processes and personnel

Principles of The BRC Global Standard Food

The objective of the BRC Global Standard – Food is to specify safety, quality and operational criteria required to be in place within a manufacturing organisation to supply food products to UK retailers, their suppliers or Standard users. The format, content, and BRC training of the Standard are designed to allow an assessment of a company’s premises and operational systems and procedures by a competent third party against the requirements of the Standard.

The BRC recognises the importance of accreditation and has worked closely with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) during the development of all the Technical Standards to ensure that all the requirements of product certification are met.

The principles of the BRC Global Standard Food are:

To minimise duplication of evaluation
To work in collaboration with accreditation bodies to ensure that the accreditation process delivers effective control and maintenance of the standards of evaluation
To encourage ‘local’ evaluation
To ensure openness, transparency and compliance with fair trading legislation
To promote direct stakeholder participation during development and maintenance as part of technical
Advisory committees
BRC Global Standard – Food 2005
To continuously review and improve standards and supporting processes
To promote ‘best practice’.

The Scope of the BRC Global Standard – Food

The BRC Global Standard – Food specify the requirements for the manufacturer of processed foods, branded food products and food or ingredients for use by food service companies, catering companies and food manufacturers.

BRC food safety Certification scheme is applicable to products that have been manufactured or prepared at the site and storage facilities that are under the direct control of the production site management.

The Standard shall not apply to activities relating to:

Wholesale
Importation
Distribution or storage (outside the direct control of the company).

The Global Standard for Food Safety is based on two key components: senior management commitment and HACCP.

General Requirements

The standard demands:

Fundamental requirements

A Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety plan.
Management commitment to provide sufficient resources.
A quality management system that details the organizational and managerial policies.
A series of pre-requisite programs for environmental and operational conditions needed for the production of food and controlling the food safety hazards.

Documentation & Other Requirements

The BRC – Food safety standard documentation shall include:

Food safety policy and related objectives,
Food safety manual & HACCP Plan,
Pre-requisite programs,
Documented procedures & work instructions,
Documents and records needed for effective implementation of processes.

There are a number of benefits arising from the use of the BRC – Food safety standard:

A single standard and protocol that allow an evaluation by third-party certification bodies which shall be accredited to an international Standard ISO/IEC Guide 65
Single verification commissioned by the manufacturer or supplier, in line with an agreed evaluation
Frequency, will allow both manufacturers and suppliers to report upon their status to food retailers and other organisations as agreed

The BRC – Food safety standard is comprehensive in scope covering areas of quality, hygiene and product safety throughout the food industry
The Standard addresses part of the 'due diligence' requirements of the food manufacturer/supplier, packer/filler and retailer. Food manufacturers may also use this Standard to ensure their suppliers are following good hygiene practices and complete the 'due diligence' chain
Within the associated protocol, there is a requirement for ongoing surveillance and confirmation of the follow-up of corrective actions on non-conformance to the Standard thus ensuring that a self-improving quality, hygiene and product safety system is established.

BRC FOOD clients

Training

We offer a customized BRC training program

BRC Food

Implementation and documentation requirements

BRC Food

Internal Auditor training

Empower your business with 4C

Team 4C has certified IQA BRC-Certification auditors for Consulting Services and BRC training having 15+ years of experience
80+ BRC Certifications in 12+ different sectors of Food Industry
800+ Food Safety, Hazard Analysis (HACCP) Documentation prepared
8000+ Hours food safety training and 20000+ Hours Consulting
100+ Consulting for Greenfield Food project from Plant commission to Operation successfully implemented
Hands on experience of Team 4C in BRC training and implementing other Food safety management tools such as HACCP, FSSC, BRC food/IOP, AIB, IFS, Fami-Qs would help to gain early benefits
Worked with more than 50 International & National Certification Bodies

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