In the global marketplace, where food safety and quality are of prime importance, British Retail Consortium (BRC) standards have stood as a gold-standard framework for food and consumer products. Whether you operate in the food industry, consumer goods supply chain, or are a retailer, a deep understanding of BRC is essential for maintaining not just quality but also credibility with your stakeholders.
With over 28,000 BRC-certified suppliers across more than 130 countries worldwide, the scale of adoption reflects the BRC standards’ critical role in enhancing the safety and quality benchmarks globally.
Achieving BRC certification helps companies demonstrate compliance with these rigorous standards while increasing trust across their supply chains.
BRC lays out stringent standards to ensure that the end consumer is protected from harm and that brands’ reputations are upheld. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore every facet of BRC – from what it is and why it matters to how to get certified, leaving you equipped to not just comply, but excel.
What is BRC?
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is a pivotal organization that sets the benchmark for quality and safety in the global food and consumer products industry.
Established to guarantee excellence within the supply chain, BRC standards offer a comprehensive framework that companies must adhere to to demonstrate their commitment to best practices in the production, handling, and delivery of their products.
By adhering to BRC standards, businesses prove their dedication to maintaining the utmost safety, integrity, and quality of their products, fostering a strong foundation for consumer confidence and market expansion.
What is the Purpose of BRC?
The British Retail Consortium developed BRC in 1996 to ensure that retailers had a consistent standard for their suppliers.
The primary goal is to unify food safety standards and foster transparency in the food industry by ensuring that minimum requirements are met and best practices are consistently followed.
What is BRCGS?
BRCGS or BRC Global Standards, is an evolution of the British Retail Consortium’s standards, aiming to reflect its global reach and application beyond just retail. This entity sets the bar for brand reputation protection through its suite of Global Standards, which cover critical areas explained below.
Created to address the need for internationally recognized benchmarks, BRCGS provides a framework for companies worldwide to demonstrate their commitment to safety, quality, and compliance.
The BRC Global Standards
The heart of the BRC is its set of standards, which have been shaped by industry experts, stakeholders, and regulators over several decades. These guidelines, currently available in 15 languages, cover a wide array of critical focus areas, including hygiene, food safety, and quality management systems. They are a structured roadmap to ensuring that each entity along the food supply chain, from farm to fork, adopts the highest degree of diligence and integrity in its practices.
BRC standards are not static; they are dynamic and responsive to emerging risks and changing consumer preferences. The detail and depth of these standards enable businesses to operate with high predictability and confidence, knowing that they are aligned with the cutting edge of industry best practices.
There are several BRC Global Standards with different areas of concentration.
| BRC Global Standard | Focus Area | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Food Safety | Food Manufacturing | Wide-ranging framework for managing food safety across production environments. |
| Packaging Materials | Packaging Safety & Quality | Covers product safety, traceability, and legal compliance for packaging suppliers. |
| Storage and Distribution | Logistics & Warehousing | Ensures safety and quality of products during storage and transportation. |
| Consumer Products | Product Safety | Sets safety and operational criteria for non-food consumer goods. |
| Retail | Retail Operations | Promotes best practices in retail to ensure product integrity for consumers. |
| Agents and Brokers | Trade & Brokerage | Secures the supply chain integrity for companies trading food or packaging without direct production control. |
| BRC Start! | Small Businesses | Entry-level program for SMEs adopting good manufacturing practices and starting toward full certification. |
| Plant-Based Certification | Plant-Based Foods | Ensures safety and quality in the manufacture of plant-based food products. |
| Gluten-Free Certification | Allergen Management | Enforces strict controls to avoid gluten contamination in gluten-free product lines. |
| Ethical Trade & Responsible Sourcing | Social Compliance | Upholds ethical business practices and supply chain accountability; globally benchmarked. |
| Food Safety Culture Excellence | Organizational Culture | Converts food safety culture into actionable metrics across 80+ data points to guide improvement. |
These specialized standards help address the evolving needs of the food and consumer products industries, ensuring that all sectors can achieve and demonstrate a commitment to excellence, regardless of their specific focus or size.
These standards further underscore the BRC’s commitment to safeguarding products’ integrity, quality, and safety throughout the entire supply chain, from production to the end consumer.
Each level requires specific guidelines and criteria, reflective of the specialized focus areas.
BRC Global Standard For Food Safety
The BRC Global Standard is divided into the following sections, each covering a critical aspect of food safety and quality:
- Senior management commitment and continual improvement
- HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)
- Food safety and quality management system
- Site standards
- Product control
- Process control
- Personnel
- High-risk, high-care, and ambient high care
- Traded goods
Each of these sections provides detailed requirements and best practices that an organization must adhere to.
What is a BRC Audit?
A BRC audit is a structured process to evaluate a manufacturer or supplier’s compliance with the BRC standards.
This is typically carried out by third-party certification bodies that are accredited to the certification scheme.
The audit process involves an on-site inspection, documentation review, and interviews with personnel to ensure that food and branded products are produced, handled, and packed to the highest standards.
Want a smoother BRC audit experience?
Our consultants can help you close gaps before auditors walk through the door.
What are the Requirements for the BRC Standard?
The ten main requirements you must follow for the BRC standard are based on BRC Global Standard requirements and are listed below:
- Your business is continually improving safety and quality.
- You have a detailed food safety plan in place. (HACCP, SQF, GMP)
- You conduct regular internal audits.
- You have a structured organization of your suppliers.
- You track and document ingredients from suppliers.
- You employ appropriate and effective hygiene regulations
- You carefully separate all known allergens.
- You provide a facility layout, floor plan, and organization.
- All your food products are correctly labeled.
- You provide food safety training for your employees.
Maintaining documented procedures is critical for compliance with BRC Global Standard requirements and audit readiness. These procedures ensure that your operations remain consistent, auditable, and transparent.
Adherence to these requirements ensures not only food safety but also high food quality. Businesses that meet these standards demonstrate a commitment to excellence, operational efficiency, and consumer protection.
The Future of BRC Standards
Looking ahead, the trajectory of BRC standards is marked by innovation, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to global food safety. Emerging trends, such as blockchain technology for traceability and advanced analytics for predictive maintenance, are likely to be integrated into future BRC criteria, enhancing their efficacy and relevance.
As these standards evolve, the role of BRC software will become increasingly vital in helping facilities meet new compliance requirements with efficiency and accuracy. From automating documentation to enabling real-time audit readiness, BRC software solutions will empower food businesses to stay aligned with the most current certification protocols
The evolution of BRC standards will also be shaped by macro-trends in the food industry, including sustainability, transparency, and ethical sourcing. BRC standards are poised to leverage these trends to set new benchmarks in responsible business practices and consumer engagement.
Final Thoughts
BRC is more than a set of requirements; it’s a philosophy that should be deeply ingrained in any organization’s food and consumer goods culture. This guide is just the beginning of your BRC journey, and we encourage you to invest the time and resources necessary to align with the standards, leverage the BRC certification benefits, and become a leader in food safety and quality.
For food industry professionals committed to sustainable growth and success, adopting BRC standards is a vital step. It represents a pact with consumers and stakeholders, a declaration of operational integrity, and a roadmap to emerge as a global food economy leader.
For businesses implementing BRC standards, the effort and resources invested are not only measures of excellence but commitments to a better, safer, and more resilient food industry. The vitality of the global food market depends on such proactive initiatives, and BRC stands as a model worth emulating and exceeding.
The food industry never stands still, and its challenges and opportunities are as diverse as its products. BRC is at the epicenter of this dynamic environment, propelling businesses toward a future of nourishment and assurance. It is an investment in the health of individuals and nations and communities.
FAQs
The key difference between SQF and BRC is that SQF is more focused on quality control throughout the supply chain, whereas BRC emphasizes robust management of food safety, hygiene, and facility standards, catering primarily to UK retailers.
BRC standards are designed to be adaptable and scalable, making them suitable for a wide variety of businesses across the food and consumer goods sectors. This includes manufacturers, packaging suppliers, storage and distribution centers, brokers, and even small and medium-sized enterprises.
BRC standards are not legally mandatory, but they are widely adopted across the industry due to their reputation for rigor and consistency. Many retailers, brand owners, and partners expect or prefer suppliers to follow BRC standards as a condition for doing business.
BRC standards incorporate and reinforce the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). They require businesses to build structured food safety management systems that identify, evaluate, and control hazards throughout the supply chain.
