BRC and IFS — Food Quality Standards

BRCGS and IFS Food are third-party audited food safety certification standards that many retail chains require from their suppliers.

The BRC standard originated in the United Kingdom, promoted by the British Retail Consortium, and is now known as BRCGS. IFS (International Featured Standards) was driven by German and French retailers. Both are recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and apply to companies that manufacture or process food. They start from a HACCP system and add requirements on management commitment, facilities, traceability, allergen control, pest control, staff training and incident management. Certification is obtained after an audit by an accredited body and is renewed periodically.

Cleaning and disinfection are among the most closely reviewed points. Both standards require a documented cleaning programme (what is cleaned, with which product, at what concentration, how often and by whom), records of its execution and verification of its effectiveness, for example by visual inspection or microbiological surface testing. They also require control of chemical products: that they are suitable for the intended use, stored separately from food, and that their technical data sheet and safety data sheet (SDS) are available.

These standards certify the food plant, not the cleaning products or their manufacturers: a detergent is not «BRC certified» or «IFS certified». What the auditor checks is that the chosen product, its dose and its method of use are justified in the cleaning plan and that there is evidence that they work.

More information: Cleaning for IFS and BRC audits · Cleaning and disinfection plan · HACCP