BRCGS is a set of certification standards for food safety, packaging, storage and distribution. The Global Standard for Food Safety is the one food processors hold. UK retailers ask for it because it gives them an independent audit to a known standard at every supplier site.
The standard began with British retailers and remains widely expected in UK retail supply chains. It is also recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), so buyers elsewhere accept it too.
What a BRCGS audit covers
- Senior management commitment and a food safety culture plan.
- A HACCP-based food safety plan for each product and process.
- Site standards: layout, hygiene, pest control, maintenance and zoning.
- Product control: allergens, foreign body control, testing and product release.
- Process control: critical limits, calibration and checks such as sieving and metal detection.
- Traceability tests and handling of complaints, incidents and recalls.
- Personnel: training, hygiene and protective clothing.
Grades and uptake in India
Sites are graded on the number and seriousness of non-conformities found. Grades run from AA down to D, with a plus added when the audit is unannounced. A higher grade usually means a longer gap before the next audit. Ask for the full audit report, not just the certificate, so you can see what was found.
Certificates and grades can be checked on the BRCGS online directory. Use the site code and company name.
Many Indian spice and seed processors sell to traders or to markets that do not ask for BRCGS. Some hold FSSC 22000 or ISO 22000 instead. A smaller number, usually those supplying UK and European food manufacturers, hold BRCGS. The differences are covered in how FSSC 22000 differs from ISO 22000.
If your customer accepts any GFSI-recognised scheme, ask them in writing. That widens your choice of suppliers.
Checks for buyers
For grinding units, see what certifications a spice grinding unit should have.
- The certificate covers the plant that makes your product, not a sister site.
- The scope names your product category and process, such as cleaning, grinding or sterilisation.
- The certificate is current and the grade is shown.
- Major non-conformities in the report have been closed.
BRCGS is not a product test
A BRCGS certificate shows that the site's systems met the standard on the audit days. It does not test your lot for pesticides, aflatoxin, ethylene oxide or microbes. UK retailers still expect lot testing, a clear spec and evidence of supplier approval. Treat BRCGS as a strong signal about the plant's culture and controls, then check each shipment as you would with any other supplier. For many first-time buyers, the certificate is a good filter when building a shortlist.
How we help
We find processors with BRCGS or another scheme your customer accepts, verify the certificate on the directory and read the audit report with you. Our own audit then checks the points that matter for your product. Start with a free sourcing review.