History of the BRC Standard

From UK retail consortium to global food safety benchmark

The BRC standard (now BRCGS, Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards) grew out of the British retail sector's need for a single, independently auditable food safety scheme that retailers could trust when sourcing own-brand products. It was first published in 1998 and already covered a wide scope at launch, including packaging alongside food.

In 1999 the scheme aligned itself with ISO standards and the EN series, completed the accreditation arrangements that let national bodies authorise certification bodies to audit against it, and began licensing the first wave of independent auditors.

Since the 2000s the standard has issued several revised editions, keeping pace with new food safety risks, changes in international food law, and the benchmarking requirements of GFSI (the Global Food Safety Initiative). Each issue raises the bar on a specific theme, for example food defence, fraud mitigation, or site security.

Why the history matters for certification today

Certified sites move between issues on a published timetable. Understanding which issue you were last audited under, and when the next edition takes effect, matters for budgeting your gap analysis and internal training. Sistem Patent Kalite tracks BRCGS issue transitions and helps our clients prepare for each new version before it becomes mandatory.