BRC / IoP

In order to take account of increasing demands for consumer protection and also to ensure safety in cross-border movement of goods, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has developed internationally valid, unified standards with the emphasis on quality, safety and legal compliance. These are the Global Standard for Food Safety and the Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials (IoP).TÜV NORD CERT is accredited as an independent certification body for both standards.

It is aimed at manufacturers of packaging materials that are used by the foodstuffs industry, because packaging must also correspond to hygienic and health requirements. Many food retailers and manufacturers only accept suppliers with BRC certification. Following a successful audit, the capability of suppliers is documented by listing and registration on the BRC database, raising the profile of the individual supplier. The goal is also to keep the health risk for the end consumer as low as possible. Thus, regular hygiene checks should contribute towards preventing contamination and contact with hazardous substances. In addition, certification leads to image enhancement, reduces risks and warranty claims and makes a contribution to food safety in general.

As many auditors are qualified in several fields, TÜV NORD CERT can also offer effective and low-cost combined audits (e.g. in association with other management systems/food safety systems).

The British Retail Consortium developed the Global Food Standard as an international foodstuffs standard. The standard is aimed at producers of independent brands and is especially appealing for exporting to Great Britain. TÜV NORD CERT is accredited for BRC certifications as per EN 45011.

Important criteria for the BRC certification:

• Fulfilment of the BRC/IFS requirements;
• Use of the HACCP principles;
• Analysis of processes/technologies in the production of products and/or packaging;
• Fulfilment of legal specifications for: equipment, product, and qualification of personnel;
• Classification of risks;
• Testing the quality management system;

Aiming the safety requirements at food processing companies.

The advantages:

• Description of the requirements for manufacturing your packaging;
• Many years of international recognition and acceptance of the standard;
• Industry-specific standard.