BRC (British Retail Consortium) Global Standards

About the BRC Global Standards In 1998 the British Retail Consortium (BRC), responding to industry needs, developed and introduced the BRC Food Technical Standard to be used to evaluate manufacturers of retailers own brand food products. It is designed to assist retailers and brand owners produce food products of consistent safety and quality and assist with their 'due diligence' defence, should they be subject to a prosecution by the enforcement authorities. Under EU food Law, retailers and brand owners have a legal responsibility for their brands. The BRC Global Standards are industry-leading Technical Standards that specify requirements to be met by an organisation to enable the production, packaging, storage and distribution of safe food and consumer products.

Many UK, North American and many European retailers, and brand owners will only consider business with suppliers who have gained certification to the appropriate BRC Global Standard.

Certification to a Global Standard, which is achieved through audits by third party Certification Bodies, reassures retailers and branded manufacturers of the capability and competence of the supplier, and reduces the need for retailers and manufacturers to carry out their own audits, thereby reducing the administrative burden on both the supplier and the customer.

• BRC Global Standard for Food Safety  (Issue 5)
• BRC Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials  (Issue 3)
• BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution  (Issue 1)