BRCGS Food Safety: the UK retail-driven certification standard
Updated 2026-07-12 · Reviewed by: Redazione ce85204 — revisione editoriale assistita da AI (2026-07-12)
BRCGS Food Safety is a GFSI-recognised food safety certification standard, originating in the United Kingdom and widely required by British retail. It is voluntary and does not replace the obligations under Regulation 852/2004.
BRCGS Food Safety (formerly the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety) is a food safety certification standard of British origin, today among the most widespread internationally and GFSI-recognised. Like all voluntary certifications, it is optional.
At a glance
- Originating in the UK from the British Retail Consortium, it is GFSI-recognised and widely required by British retailers.
- It is a product/process standard that integrates the HACCP principles Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 with requirements on management system, processing environment, product control and personnel.
- It is voluntary: it does not replace registration Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, self-control Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and training Annex II, Chapter XII, point 1 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004.
- It uses a grading system (audit outcome levels) that guides customer confidence.
Commentary
What it is
BRCGS Food Safety established itself as the reference standard for suppliers to UK large retail, which historically require it for private-label products. The standard is organised into requirements covering senior management commitment, the food safety plan based on the HACCP principles Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, the quality and safety management system, site and processing-environment standards, product and process control, and personnel. It is certified through periodic audits with an outcome expressed in grades, communicating to the customer the level of compliance achieved.
Like the other schemes, BRCGS presupposes the hygiene prerequisites and details them beyond the minimum level of Annex II of the Regulation, adding requirements on authenticity, food defence and food safety culture.
Who asks for it
It is required mainly by large retail, in particular in the UK and in markets that follow it, often as a condition for supplying private-label products. It is also common among Italian exporters to the United Kingdom.
Accreditation
BRCGS certification is issued by bodies accredited under ISO/IEC 17065 (product/process certification) supplemented by the standard's requirements, within the framework of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 (ACCREDIA in Italy). GFSI recognition and accreditation, with the EA-MLA arrangements, make the certificate usable with foreign customers.
Relationship with the obligations under 852
BRCGS replaces no legal obligation. The certified business remains subject to registration Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, to HACCP procedures Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and to official control Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. It is not a legal title: see why there is no certificate under Regulation 852/2004. It should also be remembered that, after Brexit, the United Kingdom no longer belongs to the single market: exporting entails customs and sanitary requirements beyond the voluntary certification.
Common errors
- Believing BRCGS makes public obligations redundant. It adds to registration, HACCP and training Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004; it does not replace them.
- Confusing the BRCGS grade with a public-authority judgement. It is the outcome of a private third-party audit, not an administrative act.
- Assuming the certificate is enough to export to the UK. It helps, but does not exhaust the post-Brexit customs and sanitary obligations.
Frequently asked questions
Is BRCGS mandatory?
No. It is voluntary. The legal obligations are registration Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, HACCP Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and training Annex II, Chapter XII, point 1 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004.
How does it differ from FSSC 22000 and IFS?
They are all GFSI-recognised schemes with comparable technical requirements. BRCGS is UK retail-driven, IFS is Franco-German, FSSC 22000 is based on ISO 22000. The choice depends on the customer's market.
What is grading?
It is the outcome level of the BRCGS audit (expressed with letters), summarising the degree of compliance and the severity of non-conformities found. It guides customer confidence but is not a public act.
Is a BRCGS-certified company exempt from official controls?
No. The competent authority retains full control powers Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. The certificate does not replace public control.
Sources
- EUR-Lex — Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, consolidated text as of 24 March 2021: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02004R0852-20210324 — accessed 2026-07-12.
- BRCGS — Global Standard Food Safety: https://www.brcgs.com/ — accessed 2026-07-12.
- GFSI — Recognised certification programmes: https://mygfsi.com/ — accessed 2026-07-12.
Drafting and review
ce85204 editorial team. Draft generated with AI from primary sources; editorial review AI-assisted (see methodology).