Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS) Packaging Issue 7: What’s New and How It Impacts Packaging Compliance in 2024
BRCGS Packaging Issue 7 was officially released on 28th October 2024 following a thorough stakeholder consultation process. This resulted in a thorough realignment of the flow of the standards Clauses, which historically may have appeared somewhat cumbersome compared to ISO’s Annex SL driven structure, the new version now has one less clause.
But is this enough for all current certificate holders to celebrate?
Among the changes are a greater emphasis on the Hazard and Risk process and its team. Items such as process flows now require sign-off by the HARA team, as opposed to just agreeing on the flows with process owners. This change aims to ensure that all team members undertake physical assessments of the process to further underline the intentions of the multidisciplinary team approach.
Other significant modifications include a specific requirement for the most senior operations member to attend opening and closing meetings, as well as an interview on the Product Safety Culture that was introduced in Issue 6.
The audit requirements have been modified to enhance their effectiveness. While previously audits could be conducted once based on risk assessment, now all areas of the standard must be audited multiple times throughout the year. This change aims to ensure greater value and thoroughness in internal audits.
Within the remit of adding extra value, BRCGS now finally also accept supplier approvals on the basis of other quality management systems (specifically ISO 9001) provided they include the prerequisite requirements element of BRCGS Packaging. A silver lining with a critical caveat.
Finally, the Traceability section received arguably the most significant modification. Certificate holders are still required to conduct annual system testing. However, a new fixed stipulation mandates that any Traceability (staged or real) must be completed within a 4-hour window. This places substantial emphasis on the operational systems of businesses and their out-of-hours response systems.
Shaine Gill-Ohrt, BrookConsult Specialist Consultant stated:
“The implementation of the new system modifications is a positive development that emphasises quality and food safety. It will be intriguing to observe how smaller enterprises will manage the considerably increased requirements of this most recent version. Nevertheless, we are fully prepared to assist all packaging businesses on this journey.”
Dom Brook, Managing Director of BrookConsult, commented:
“The release of BRCGS Packaging Issue 7 is a significant advancement, especially in terms of strengthening hazard and risk management as well as traceability requirements. These changes reflect the industry’s commitment to heightened safety standards and accountability, which are essential in today’s packaging sector.
However, the shift to more frequent audits and rigorous traceability timelines will likely present challenges for many, particularly for smaller organisations with leaner resources. BrookConsult is here to support businesses in navigating these new requirements efficiently and effectively, helping them achieve compliance while enhancing their operational resilience…”
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