Benefits of BRC standard for food packaging

Each properly implemented standard is always connected with a company’s development milestone. BRC is one of the criteria desired by many food-related firms. Vietnam Packaging will discuss the BRC standard’s applicability in package manufacture in this post.

What is the BRC standard?

BRC is the British Retail Consortium’s quality management system standard. This standard was developed based on 7 principles in the HACCP standard.

The main content is production guidance and production process control focusing on food quality, safety, and product legality.

Requirements to be met in the BRC standard

Food businesses need to provide adequate resources, communication, as well as review and action to improve product quality.

• Develop a food safety plan: Analyze hazards and control them based on HACCP.
• Develop an internal review system to ensure standards are followed and effective.
• Create an investigation, analysis, and remedial process during the application of the standard that is relevant to the legality and quality of food safety.
• Traceability for raw materials, manufacturing, and distribution.
• Control the premises and equipment of the enterprise to prevent contamination of products and ensure the legality of the enterprise.
• Standards in hygiene working environment should be set to prevent product contamination.
• Timely handling of allergen-containing materials, materials are maintained so that their legality, quality, and safety are not affected.
• Establish a process to check the performance of equipment and product creation stages.
• Establish a system proving that employees can influence the legality and safety of products, based on their qualifications and work experience.

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Applying BRC standards in the production of BRC-certified packaging

BRC-certified packaging is a package that is certified to meet the requirements of the BRC standard. Specifically, the content of BRC standards in packaging production is applied as follows:

1. Establish information related to BRC packaging production

Information that packaging manufacturers need to declare:

• Information about the Human resources that can be contacted (staff, officers, etc.)
• Declaration of the health status of employees.
• How to review and improve quality through information obtained from resources.

2. Food safety plan for the BRC-certified packaging products

A review of hazards, control points, and control the possibility of affects to the safety of the packaging products. The review principle is based on the HACCP standard. Hazards in each stage of the specific BRC packaging production process are:

• Input materials.
• Packaging design.
• Proceed to use the printing method.
• Finishing processing and product handover.

>>> The BSCI Standard (Business Social Compliance Initiative)

3. Internal evaluation system

The full process of packaging production should be strictly controlled at each stage by this system, to ensure proper compliance with the hazard assessment and control process.

4. Create a procedure to control the process of applying the standard

This procedure is responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and fixing problems in the standard implementation. Some cases may occur such as:

• Wrong recipes of materials used
• Errors in input materials
• Printing techniques with materials that do not conform to safety standards
• The finishing process lacks safety
• The process of preserving, transporting, and handing over packaging samples is not taken care of….

5. Traceability of BRC-certified packaging

Materials need to be safe and not likely to affect products and users. Whether it is BRC plastic or paper packaging, the material needs to be disclosed. From there, analyze the effects and hazards that are likely to appear before, during, and after the finished product.

>>> The C-TPAT standard in goods security and its application

6. Control the facilities of packaging manufacturers

Beside the source of raw materials, the machinery and equipment used in the packaging production process also need to be hygienic. All factors potentially affecting the safety of the packaging are controlled. By doing this well, the legality and safety of the packaging products will be enhanced.

7. Sanitation for production of BRC packaging

Ensure environmental hygiene in production areas to limit hazards and control critical points. Not only BRC packaging but also packaging enterprises in general, must regularly ensure the hygiene of the working environment.

8. Unsafe material handling

Wastes in packaging products such as plastic waste, glue, ink, etc. need to be handled properly. Avoid creating toxins that affect the safety of the packaging.

9. Operational efficiency check

Check the efficiency in the equipment and machinery monitoring process at each stage one more time. Check the compliance and performance achieved after applying the BRC standard.

10. The system proving the safety and legitimacy of employees

To ensure this, packaging manufacturers need to be strict in managing employees. Safety is related to the health status of employees. Regular check-ups for employees’ health are proof of that safety. Make sure there are no infectious diseases. At the same time, employees with experience working in similar professional environments also highly contribute to the legality.

>>> Environmental protection: FSC standard packaging product

Benefits of BRC-certified packaging for businesses and consumers

As mentioned, the application of standards is always associated with the development milestones of businesses and products. BRC-certified packaging used for products not only benefits businesses but also users.

For enterprises

• Satisfying the requirements of product quality management in importing countries, helping to expand product consumption markets.
• Businesses using BRC packaging will monitor packaging quality more easily.
• Minimize the risk associated with product complaints.
• Create a solid legal system to help businesses comply with the law better.
• Increase consumer confidence in brand identity and product safety.
• This is a condition for enterprises to self-declare products that meet TCVN.

For customers

Customers use BRC-certified packaging products for the best product quality and limit contamination that is harmful to health. At the same time, this is a clear sign for customers to recognize the prestige of the brand. From there, they will have more accurate choices for the products they consume to improve their health and quality of life.

Above are some information about BRC standard and its applications in packaging manufacturing. We hope to help you get an overview when applying this standard to your packaging products. To have a packaging model that meets BRC standards, please contact us to order.

KHANG THÀNH CO., LTD – HOUSE OF PACKAGING
Hotline:  077 8878 222 ​
Email: info@khangthanh.com