Help and guidance

help and guidance

BRC Global Standards have published a series of guidance documents that will help you understand specific areas of the BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution.

FAQs

1. Although we primarily store and distribute products we do a small amount of packing of products. Does the BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution apply to me?

If the repacking operation involves open food products then the answer is no. Where open food products are processed, including packing, then the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety should be used instead.

2. What are the main differences between Issue 2 and Issue 3 of the BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution?

The consultation and review of emerging food safety concerns since the development of Issue 3 identified a number of opportunities for further improvement. The key objectives identified for the working groups were to:

Provide greater focus on security in terms of product, load and vehicles.

Introduce a grading system to provide a true reflection of the standards at the sites and to offer more opportunities for the best sites to differentiate themselves.

Include requirements to encourage wholesalers to reduce their exposure to food fraud.

Ensure the requirements and audit process are focused on reducing the issues most frequently causing recalls and withdrawals.

Introduce a voluntary unannounced audit scheme to instill greater customer confidence.

Provide consistency with the other BRC Global Standards.

Guidance documents

Self Assessment Tool English

We also publish more extensive Guideline documents that identify best practice in particular ways of working, for example Pest Control and Metal Detection, and Interpretation Guidelines which explain each clause of the BRC Global Standard in more detail. These Guidelines provide an invaluable reference tool when preparing for your assessment.

Position statement

During the lifetime of a published BRC Global Standard the BRC Technical Advisory Committees may be asked to either review the wording of a clause in the BRC Global Standard or to provide an interpretation of a requirement or rule.

The decision made by the Technical Advisory Committee is known as a Position Statement. Position Statements are binding on the way the audit and certification process is carried out and are seen as an extension to the BRC Global Standard. The Position Statement is published in the BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution.

Storage and Distribution

Maintaining product integrity during storage and distribution