BRC (British Retail Consortium) Standard is a standard published by British Retail Consortium and entailing the approval documented in order to ensure the food safety and quality.

When examined, it is seen that the British food market is comprised of retailer brands by 38%. Although such products are not inferior than the branded products in terms of quality, they may be attractive to consumer for their prices. Taking into consideration that 60% of food sales are also carried out by 5 big retailers, one may understand to which degree such firms are in an aggressive competition on subjects of quality, price and innovations as a result of which England conditions the implementation of BRC Technical Standards, Quality Management Systems and other specific requirements in order to ensure the product safety since it purchases products and inputs from abroad in high amounts.

BRC is a trade organization representing the retail trade in England. The members of this organization may be in various sizes from department stores to corner kiosks. BRC is interested directly in many subjects affecting the retail business and consumer and tries to draw attention to such points both in England and the EU by means of lobby activities.

What is BRC?

The main objective of BRC is to form a framework comprising the internationally accepted food safety standards and to assist in development of food safety. In terms of its form and substance, the standard has been designed in such a way that it may give an idea on the operation system of food producers. Thus, the standardization of food safety criteria and follow up procedures has been ensured.

In 2001, BRC and IoP have published a technical standard together and prepared a document to be supportive in meeting the legal requirements of both food producers and retailers. Thanks to this standard, a joint evaluation process has been defined for enterprises procuring package for food products thanks to which consumer protection has been ensured. It is clear that the packaging industry has very diversified practices when looked in terms of the materials, processes and technologies used. As a professional representative of the sector, BRC has ensured that the requirements of this standard is practically applicable in the sector.

The aim of BRC / IoP Standard is to determine the criteria for safety, quality and application for firms procuring packaging materials for any retailer in England, its supplier or those using other Standard. The format and substance of the standard have bene designed in such a way that all the assets of the firm may be inspected and this inspection should be performed by an accredited 3rd party certification body. The purposes of this standards are as follows:

• To prevent more than one audit from being performed at the same firm with the same objective;
• To reduce and/or eliminate the demands of different customers conflicting with each other’s;
• To extend the best practice valid for the entire industry;
• To support local evaluation to be made (with a view to ensuring that the firm is evaluated according to the culture to which the firm belongs and the conditions of the country in which the firm is located without making compromise on the basic principles when implementing the standard);
• To ensure the openness and transparence within the framework of the ‘fair trade’ rules;
• To ensure that sector investors are also present directly along with technical consultancy committees in development and revision of the standard;
• To review and develop the standard and support processes continually.

Benefits of implementing BRC standard

Thanks to the implementation of the BRC Standard, many benefits among which are also the following may be obtained:

• Being evaluated and certified by an accredited 3rd party certification body provides a certain concession within the industry.
• Joint measuring and evaluation criteria valid for both producers and suppliers help in making evaluation of other organizations within the supply chain as well as the food retailers.
• Since the standard comprises the subjects of quality, hygiene and product safety, there is no need to procure another certification service on these subjects.
• With follow up of the audits performed and the resulting corrective actions, the certificated firm sets up a continually developing and improving quality, hygiene and product safety system.
• It provides assurance for operation in order to ensure a safe packaging production and for the existing systems to be best practices.
• Enhanced consumer satisfaction by being certified by a recognized standard.
• Access to extended markets by satisfying the customer requirements.
• Integration of a supplier with an extensive certification.
• Since there is a synergy between the requirements of BRC Standard and the requirements of ISO 9001:2008, an integrated inspection may provide cost savings to some extent compared to two individual inspections.

BRC STANDARDS

BRC Customer Products

The legal obligations relating to private labeled products comprise also the activities containing the certification of the technical competences of suppliers. Providing a general basis for certification of firms supplying consumer products, this standard assists the retailers in fulfillment of their legal obligations and consumer protection. Some sections of the BRC Standard being related to the consumer products may be applied in general or some sections thereof may be applied specific to the product.

General sections are manufacture, raw material procurement, preparation, development, packing and storage areas, personnel spaces, physical, chemical and biological product contamination risk, hazard and risk management, product design/development, personnel hygiene and training

BRC / IOP Technical Standard - Packaging Materials

BRC and IOP (Institute of Packaging) standard has been prepared for the purpose of assisting the retailers and food producers in fulfillment of their legal obligations. Standard forms a general basis for inspection of the firms supplying package for food products to standard retailers and ensures the protection of consumers.

BRC - Food Standard

With a view to ensuring the minimum hygiene standard in food production facilities, BRCH has published “the BRC-Food Standard” together with big British retailers. In order for the compliance with this standard to be able to be provided, the food industry (suppliers) should adapt the six main criteria to their management systems.

Standard consists of the sections of HACCP System, Quality Management System, Facility Environment Standards, Product Control, Process Control and Personnel.

BRC Food Standard has categorized the food enterprise and published such categorization under 6 headings. When filing application, the firms should make an application over the category suitable for them by examining these categories.

1.     Unprocessed meat and fish products (red and while meat - fish, unprocessed meat and fish products)

2.     Production (fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables)

3.     Daily food (milk and milk products, egg)

4.     Cooked and frozen, ready-to-eat or ready-to-cook meat and fish products

5.     Packaged food products resistant against environmental conditions and heat

6.     Other food products resistant against environmental conditions (beverages, bakery products, dried foods, light food products and breakfast cereals, liquid and solid oils, food additives)

Principles of the standard

• To minimize the repetition of the evaluation
• To ensure the transparency and compliance with fair trade
• To review and improve the standards and support processes continually
• To extend the best practices

The requirements include the following:

• Organization
• Hazard and risk management system
• Technical management system
• Factory standards
• Pollution control
• Personnel (hygiene, raw material processing, health, storage areas)

These requirements contain also the main elements of ISO 9001:2008 Standard. If ISO 9001:2008 has been set up already at the company, the effort necessary to adapt the BRC/IoP Packaging Standard will be minimized.