BRC Global Standard Certification

Introduction

The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety is a leading international product safety standard, widely used by retailers and food service organisations globally.

What is BRCGS Issue 9?

BRCGS sets detailed requirements for food manufacturers to ensure the safety, legality, and quality of food products. It is highly prescriptive, ensuring consistent quality and audit readiness.

Benefits of BRCGS Issue 9 Certification

• Fully recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)
• Mandatory requirement for supplying major retailers in the UK, Europe, and North America
• Strong focus on product quality, safety, and legal compliance culture
• Improves supplier credibility and helps secure high-value export orders
• Consolidates food safety requirements into a single, comprehensive audit checklist

Who Needs BRCGS Issue 9 Certification?

• Food manufacturing companies
• Fruit and vegetable packaging facilities
• Food ingredient suppliers
• Canning, bottling, and processing plants

BRCGS Issue 9 Requirements

• Senior management commitment and continual improvement (Section 1)
• The Food Safety Plan — HACCP (Section 2)
• Food safety and quality management system (Section 3)
• Site environmental standards (Section 4)
• Product control and allergen management (Section 5)
• Process control and calibration (Section 6)
• Personnel training and hygiene standards (Section 7)
• High-risk, high-care production risk zones (Section 8)

BRCGS Issue 9 Certification Process

Documents Required

• BRC compliance manual and procedures
• HACCP plan and CCP monitoring records
• Allergen management plan
• Environmental monitoring logs
• Pest control and sanitation records
• Internal audit and traceability test reports

BRCGS Issue 9 Certification Cost

We don’t publish a fixed price, because cost depends on organisation size, number of locations, scope, process complexity, audit duration, consulting requirements and certification body fees. Request a scoped estimate and we’ll walk you through each factor.

Certification Timeline

Timelines depend on organisational readiness, scope and the complexity of your processes. A well-prepared, single-site organisation typically moves faster than a multi-site or highly regulated one — we’ll give you a realistic timeline after the initial gap analysis.

BRCGS vs FSSC 22000

BRCGS is a highly prescriptive, single-audit standard that details specific plant requirements. FSSC 22000 is a management-system standard built on ISO 22000. Both are GFSI-recognised, but BRCGS is often preferred by UK/EU supermarkets.

Frequently Asked Questions