Retail Standards Process and Procedures

Good Evening,

I am a Food Technologist for a retail company in the UK. I would like some advise on what processes and procedures should be in place for a retailer. As the business gets larger we are becoming a blue chip company and would like to put all process in places which will protect our customers from food safety issues and our self from legal issue.

We buy in a range of ambient food products from different parts of the world. Currently we look at the products artwork and make sure that the artwork is compliant to UK and EU regulations.

I would like to know what we should be doing in regards to supplier approval and product approval. A lot of products we buy in are from 3rd party agents and brokers which supply us with branded items to sell. Should we be looking into what testing has been done for these products and hold there HACCP on our system ? Should we be holding the specifications for each product which is not always available ? 

For our own branded products we go all the way from checking the manufacturer, audit reports, HACCP's, product testing and designing the artwork our self, but its more other branded products we are confused about and would like to know what we must be holding and what must be in place.

It would be much appreciated if you could help with this.

Many thanks,

T

Good Evening,

 

I am a Food Technologist for a retail company in the UK. I would like some advise on what processes and procedures should be in place for a retailer. As the business gets larger we are becoming a blue chip company and would like to put all process in places which will protect our customers from food safety issues and our self from legal issue.

 

We buy in a range of ambient food products from different parts of the world. Currently we look at the products artwork and make sure that the artwork is compliant to UK and EU regulations.

 

I would like to know what we should be doing in regards to supplier approval and product approval. A lot of products we buy in are from 3rd party agents and brokers which supply us with branded items to sell. Should we be looking into what testing has been done for these products and hold there HACCP on our system ? Should we be holding the specifications for each product which is not always available ? 

 

For our own branded products we go all the way from checking the manufacturer, audit reports, HACCP's, product testing and designing the artwork our self, but its more other branded products we are confused about and would like to know what we must be holding and what must be in place.

 

It would be much appreciated if you could help with this.

 

Many thanks,

 

T

Hi Tej,

I think you have expounded reasons for retailers requiring their suppliers to be compliant to GFSI Standards such as BRC whose Standard(s)  (targetted at UK due diligence) probably represent  a minimalist answer to yr above queries.

From a supplier approval standpoint, especially for store branded products, Charles has it right, the use of GFSI benchmarked programs as one tenet of supplier approval is a fairly common element. 

As guidance, in developing your systems, BRCGS did produce a standard for Retail, although not widely used to be certificated against, could provide good direction for you as a best practice guide in and of itself. You can find it free to download on the BRCGS Store. 

From a supplier approval standpoint, especially for store branded products, Charles has it right, the use of GFSI benchmarked programs as one tenet of supplier approval is a fairly common element. 

 

As guidance, in developing your systems, BRCGS did produce a standard for Retail, although not widely used to be certificated against, could provide good direction for you as a best practice guide in and of itself. You can find it free to download on the BRCGS Store. 

Hi John,

I have downloaded the free version

Many thanks for the advice.

T