BRC Food Safety: BRCGS Certification for the Food Industry
The GFSI-recognised food safety standard required by major European and Anglo-Saxon retailers. IgeraIndustria makes HACCP, allergen management, fundamental requirements and BRCGS audit preparation instantly queryable.
Issue 9
Current version of BRCGS Food Safety (2022). Reinforces food safety culture, allergens and product authenticity.
GFSI
BRCGS is one of 4 GFSI-recognised schemes. Accepted by Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury and major European retailers.
AA+
Maximum BRCGS rating. Achieved with zero critical or major non-conformances and an unannounced audit.
Frequently asked questions — BRC Food Safety / BRCGS
What is BRC Food Safety and which version is current?
BRC Food Safety (now called BRCGS Food Safety) is the global food safety standard developed by the British Retail Consortium. It is one of the four reference schemes recognised by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) alongside IFS Food, FSSC 22000 and SQF. The current version is Issue 9 (published 2022), which strengthens requirements on food safety culture, allergen management, product authenticity and integrity, and sustainability. It is required by major UK, European and North American supermarkets from all their manufacturers and packaged food suppliers.
What is the difference between an announced and unannounced BRCGS audit?
In BRCGS Food Safety, companies can opt for announced audits (scheduled in advance, maximum AA+ grade) or unannounced audits (without prior notice, recognised with the "AA+ Unannounced" certificate). Unannounced audits are more valued by sector customers because they demonstrate the system works continuously and not just in preparation for the audit. Since Issue 8, BRCGS strongly incentivises unannounced audits with differentiated ratings. A supplier choosing an unannounced audit accepts that the auditor may arrive on any working day within the agreed window.
What are the BRCGS fundamental requirements and what happens if they are not met?
BRCGS Food Safety designates certain requirements as "Fundamental Requirements": senior management commitment and continuous improvement, HACCP plan, documented food safety management system, internal audits, supplier and raw material management, and corrective actions. Non-compliance with a fundamental requirement automatically implies suspension or withdrawal of the certificate, regardless of the number of minor or major non-conformances the company has in other sections. This is the key difference from ISO 9001: BRCGS fundamental requirements are a sine qua non condition for certification.
What do I need to document about allergens for BRCGS Issue 9?
BRCGS Issue 9 significantly strengthened allergen management requirements (clause 5.3). Documentary requirements include: allergen risk assessment for all raw materials and at every process step; allergen control procedures in production (segregation, validated cleaning, production sequencing); allergen labelling procedures verified against legislation (EU: Regulation 1169/2011); plan for managing unintended allergen cross-contamination; and full allergen traceability throughout the chain. Allergen cleaning validation studies are a new requirement in Issue 9.