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 consistant 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.
Following the success and widespread acceptance of the BRC Food Technical Standard, the BRC published the first issue of the Packaging Standard in 2002, followed by Consumer Products Standard in August 2003, and finally by the BRC Global Standard - Storage and Distribution in August 2006 . Each of these Standards is regularly reviewed revised and updated at least every 3 years after extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders.
Following the success and widespread acceptance of the BRC Food Technical Standard, the BRC published the first issue of the Packaging Standard in 2002, followed by Consumer Products Standard in August 2003, and finally by the BRC Global Standard - Storage and Distribution in August 2006 . Each of these Standards is regularly reviewed revised and updated at least every 3 years after extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders.
The BRC Global Standards are a suite of four 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. Originally developed in response to the needs of UK members of the British Retail Consortium, the Standards have gained usage world-wide and are specified by growing numbers of retailers and branded manufacturers in the EU, North America and further afield. Certification to a Global Standard, which is achieved through audit by a 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.
(source : BRC Global Standard)
(source : BRC Global Standard)
