6 replies to this topic

[Koko LMQ]

I had heard from someone that the EU main land did not accept other food standards, e.g. BRC (British based) and EFSIS (Semi British based) except IFS, is n't it? I had read all standards and found that they are similar about 90-95 %.

Does someone here comment?

[Charles Chew]

Hi Narongchai,

I must admit I have not heard of this directive. However, I am sure no serious international trading country wishes to be an "island".

By and large, you do get specific customers demanding for specific food standard compliant. One of our clients had this experience. Again, country specifics may differ for product categories i.e. MRL on Pesticides as was highlighted in a recent forum.

Afterall, Food Safety is such a wide subject

CHarles CHew

[Simon]

There is no directive. It's whatever the customer wants. If you sell to the UK customers are likely to ask for BRC and Germany IFS. If you supply both countries it's likely you will need both Standards. Very silly adding this unnecessary cost to the supply chain.

Regards,
Simon

[Charles Chew]

Simon,

TQ for the echo.

Charles CHew

[yorkshire]

Dear Narongchai,

We have BRC to satisfy our UK customers and IFS as a group standard.
Our inspection body, ISA, can carry out a combined IFS/BRC audit which reduces the cost. The only problem with a combined audit is that after 2 Higher level audit scores with IFS the audit frequency changes to 18 months, with the BRC staying at 12 monthly .

I asked one of our customers ( a major mulitple ) if they were looking at accepting IFS and they just said NO.

These standards were designed to standardise and reduce the number of audits but we seeem to be going the other way again.

[Koko LMQ]

Dear Yorkshire,

I am agree with you as there are so many factories in my country that have to apply for both standards as each customer's request. It is too much requests for the importers especially the EU countries. EU should combine all requirements to one standard like EUREPGAP.

However, CUSTOMER IS THE KING.

Narongchai

[PSchnittger]

We have BRC to satisfy our UK customers and IFS as a group standard.
Our inspection body, ISA, can carry out a combined IFS/BRC audit which reduces the cost.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a brief comment:
The HDE (responsible for the IFS) is not accepting that a combined audit will be performed ....

So it really doesn't matter if 12 or 18 month at the end of the day.