What BRCGS is and why buyers ask for it
BRCGS — the Global Standard for Food Safety, originally developed by the British Retail Consortium — is one of the most widely recognised food safety certification schemes in the world, and is recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). It sets out requirements across food safety, quality and operational criteria, and is designed to give retailers and brand owners confidence in their suppliers.
For many food manufacturers, BRCGS is simply a requirement of doing business: UK and European retailers frequently insist on it before they will list a supplier’s products, especially for own-brand lines. A clean BRCGS certificate, graded by the audit, is a recognised signal of a well-run, safe operation.
What certification covers
Certification assesses the operation against the requirements of the relevant BRCGS standard, typically including:
- Senior management commitment and the food safety culture
- The HACCP-based food safety plan
- Food safety and quality management systems
- Site standards, product, process and personnel controls
Audits result in a grade, and certification is maintained through regular re-audit.
Typical timeline
For most food manufacturers, BRCGS certification takes around 12–16 weeks from kick-off, depending on the size and complexity of the site and the maturity of existing food safety systems. Each engagement begins with a fixed-price scoping call and a proposal within 24 hours.
Common questions
What is BRCGS and who requires it?
BRCGS is a GFSI-recognised certification scheme for food safety and quality, widely required by retailers — particularly UK and European supermarkets — as a condition of supplying own-brand and other products.
How does BRCGS relate to FSSC 22000?
Both are GFSI-recognised food safety schemes, so both satisfy a retailer’s requirement for a GFSI-benchmarked certification. Which you need depends on what your customers ask for; some manufacturers hold both. Many build from a HACCP foundation. It sits alongside FSSC 22000 in the Industry & Food Certifications portfolio for manufacturers.
