BRC consists of the initials of the British Retail Consortium Standard, meaning the British Retailing Consortium Standard. This standard, issued in October of 1998, was mainly created by British retailers. The BRC standard, which is a product of a two-year study, is a standard under the name Global Standard - Food, which meets the requirements for food, customer products and packaging materials.

This standard, which was first published as an audit standard in 1998, was revised after two years and was revised in 2002 and certification conditions were added. In the 2003 year, it has been accepted as an approved standard by the Global Food Safety Initiative.

The main aim of BRC standards is internationally accepted, food safety to create a structure that covers standards. At the same time to support the development of food safety in the world.

BRC standards It is designed to give an idea about the working methods of food manufacturers in terms of shape and content. In this way, food safety criteria and follow-up processes are standardized.

BRC Food, Food Safety System CertificateThe companies that have '' have achieved a significant competitive advantage in the domestic and foreign markets. In the meantime, product safety and quality has provided improvements in production, productivity gains and reduces costs.

BRC Food, Food Safety System Standardhas been published in order to provide minimum hygienic conditions in food producing companies. In order to ensure compliance with these standards, companies working in the food sector must adapt their management systems to six basic criteria. These criteria are:

  • HACCP System (HACCP, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Management System)
  • Quality management system
  • Business (factory) and environmental standards
  • Product control
  • Process control
  • Standards of staff competence and hygiene

Companies operating in food sector, BRC Food, Food Safety System Certificate they have to examine the categories set by the standards and take the most appropriate category for themselves. The standards are categorized under six titles according to the way food is processed. These categories are:

  • Raw meat and fish products (red and white meat, fish, raw meat and fish products)
  • Production (fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables)
  • Daily food (milk and dairy products, eggs)
  • Meat and fish products ready for cooking or cooking by cooking
  • Environmentally-friendly, heat-protected, packaged food products
  • Other food products resistant to environmental conditions (beverages, dried foods, light food products and breakfast cereals, bakery products, oils and fats, food additives)

In addition to BRC Food, Food Safety System standard, there is also BRC / IOP Technical Standard, Packaging Materials standard. This standard, also known as BRC and IOP (Packaging Institute) standard, has been prepared to help retailers and food producing companies to fulfill their legal obligations. The main objective of this standard is the protection of consumers.

The principles of BRC Food, Food Safety System standard can be explained as follows:

  • To ensure compliance with legal regulations in terms of transparency and honest trade.
  • Minimize the repetition of the evaluation.
  • Constantly review and improve standards and support processes.
  • To promote best practices.

These elements are also essential elements of the Quality Management System. Thanks to the Quality Management System already included in the requirements of the system, there will be no need to put much effort to establish and integrate BRC Food, Food Safety System standard and BRC and IOP (Packaging Institute) standard.

The companies that want to establish BRC Food, Food Security System in their businesses must firstly establish and manage the HACCP system. HACCP Food Safety Quality Management System is a system to ensure food safety. For the production of healthy food, it is a system that ensures that the hygienic conditions that the food producing companies should have, and that these conditions are ensured to be determined at every point in the employees, machinery and equipment, raw materials, environment and so on. It is based on the principle of determining the causes of health risk for the consumer and eliminating these reasons at every stage of production.

BRC Food, companies that want to establish the Food Security System, also have an effective Quality Management System must have.

In the meantime, the requirements of this standard are that the environmental conditions of the production facilities comply with the standards, and that products, processes and employees are effectively controlled.