BRC vs IFS — Food Safety Standards Explained for Meat Importers

Two Standards, One Goal: Ensuring Food Safety

BRC and IFS certify the same thing — that a food supplier's facility meets rigorous safety standards. But UK retailers demand one and Continental European retailers demand the other. They share a common goal (GFSI-benchmarked food safety assurance), yet differ in origin, geographic preference, and assessment methodology. Here's what actually matters for your sourcing decisions.

For procurement managers and food importers, understanding these differences isn't academic — it directly affects which suppliers you can work with, which markets you can serve, and how your due diligence processes should be structured.

BRC Global Standard (BRCGS): The British Origin

The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety was first published in 1998 by the British Retail Consortium. Now managed by BRCGS (BRC Global Standards), it has grown from a UK-centric framework into a truly global standard recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

Key Characteristics

• Grading system: Sites receive grades AA, A, B, C, or D based on audit findings. Grade AA (with no critical or major non-conformities) represents the highest level of compliance. Unannounced audits can earn an additional "+" designation.
• Certification cycle: Annual audits, with the option for unannounced visits that demonstrate greater confidence in day-to-day operations.
• Focus areas: Senior management commitment, HACCP-based food safety plans, food safety and quality management systems, site standards, product control, process control, and personnel.
• Global reach: Over 30,000 certified sites in more than 130 countries, with particular strength in the UK, Scandinavia, and global export markets.

Why Retailers Require BRC

Major UK retailers — Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, ASDA — essentially mandate BRC certification from their suppliers. But its influence extends well beyond Britain. Large international retailers and food service companies worldwide recognize BRC as a benchmark for supplier qualification, particularly for meat and protein products where safety risks are inherently higher.

IFS Food: The Continental European Standard

The International Featured Standards (IFS) Food standard was developed in 2003 by German and French retail federations — HDE (Handelsverband Deutschland) and FCD (Fédération du Commerce et de la Distribution). It reflects the specific requirements and regulatory culture of Continental European food retail.

Key Characteristics

• Scoring system: IFS uses a percentage-based scoring model. Sites must achieve a minimum score of 75% for foundation level certification, with higher level certification available for top performers. Results are classified as A, B, C, or D.
• KO requirements: Ten "Knock-Out" criteria that result in automatic failure regardless of overall score — including senior management responsibility, HACCP monitoring, personal hygiene, and product specifications.
• Focus areas: Corporate governance, quality and food safety management, resource management, operational processes, measurements/analyses/improvements, and food defense.
• Geographic strength: Over 20,000 certified sites globally, with dominant market position in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Benelux countries.

Why Retailers Require IFS

German retail giants — EDEKA, REWE, Lidl, Schwarz Group (Kaufland) — along with French chains like Carrefour and Auchan, typically require IFS certification. For any meat supplier targeting the German or French retail market, IFS is effectively non-negotiable.

BRC vs IFS: Key Differences at a Glance

While both standards share the common goal of GFSI-benchmarked food safety assurance, several practical differences matter for buyers:

• Geographic preference: BRC dominates in the UK, North America, and Scandinavian markets. IFS is the standard of choice in Germany, France, Southern Europe, and parts of Asia.
• Assessment approach: BRC uses letter grading (AA to D) with emphasis on unannounced audit programs. IFS uses percentage scoring with KO criteria as hard fail points.
• Audit frequency: Both require annual recertification, but BRC's unannounced option (earning "+" grades) provides additional assurance between scheduled audits.
• Retailer alignment: Your target market typically dictates which standard takes priority. Supplying both Tesco and Lidl? You need both.
• Process focus: BRC places relatively stronger emphasis on environmental and site standards. IFS gives more weight to process management and corporate governance structures.

When Dual Certification Makes Sense

If you sell to both Tesco and Carrefour, you need both certificates. That's the simplest version of the business case. The cost of dual audits — typically €15–25K per year combined, plus internal time — pays for itself with the first container shipped to a new retail chain.

Here's the straight recommendation: if 80%+ of your volume goes to UK retailers, prioritize BRC and add IFS later. If you're selling into Germany, France, or Italy, start with IFS. Dual certification only makes financial sense above roughly 500 tonnes/year of export volume, or when your market mix genuinely spans UK + Continental Europe.

Beyond market access, dual certification has a real operational side-effect: preparing for two different audit standards forces your quality management system to handle edge cases either standard alone might miss. That means the supplier with dual certification usually has tighter internal controls than one with a single standard, regardless of which audit is happening that week.

FENTO's Setup

All production facilities in the Zakłady Mięsne Zakrzewscy group hold both BRC and IFS certification (Grade A on BRC). This isn't a response to a single customer — it reflects the fact that our buyer base spans UK, Germany, France, the Nordics, and Middle Eastern export markets.

Practically, that means one integrated quality management system covers both audit standards, the same team handles both audits (no duplicate processes), and current certification status is available on request — not something you have to chase before signing a contract. If non-conformities come up, we discuss them openly with prospective partners during due diligence. That transparency is itself a sign of a supplier who takes the standards seriously.

What to Actually Check When Evaluating Suppliers

Start with market fit: does this supplier's certification actually cover your target retailers? A BRC-only supplier is useless for your Lidl contract. Then verify the basics — current certificates (not expired), copies of the actual audit reports (not just the certificate), and grade/score levels. BRC Grade A or higher, IFS 90%+ is where you want to be. Lower suggests risk.

Ask specifically about non-conformities from the last audit and what corrective actions were taken. A transparent supplier talks about this openly. A supplier who deflects or claims they had zero findings either isn't being honest or isn't being audited rigorously.

Finally: for specific markets, Halal, organic, or sustainability certifications can matter as much as BRC/IFS. Don't assume BRC/IFS covers everything — ask what else your target buyer expects.

References

1. BRCGS — Food Safety Global Standard, brcgs.com (first published 1998, 36,000+ certified sites)
2. IFS — IFS Food Standard v8, ifs-certification.com (10 KO criteria, 75% minimum score)
3. GFSI — Recognition and Benchmarking, mygfsi.com
4. NSF International — Comparing GFSI-Benchmarked Certifications
5. Food Safety Experts — KO Criteria IFS Food Version 8
6. Wikipedia — British Retail Consortium (history, LGC acquisition 2016, BRCGS rebrand 2019)