Product safety is becoming increasingly important. Consumers and authorities demand that the product we use should be high-quality and safe. Therefore, if an undesirable issue occurs, the root cause must be determined as quickly as possible, and the problem must be remedied. That is the reason why the BRC standard was created. This article will give you some information about the BRC certificate in packaging production.
1. What is the BRC standard?
The British Retail Consortium’s quality management system standard is known as the BRC. It is a leading certification program for packaging used in food production and consumer items, such as cosmetics, apparel, and homeware. This standard is based on 7 principles and was developed by the HACCP standard. The primary content focuses on production guidance and process control, with an emphasis on food quality, safety, and product legality.
2. 10 requirements to be met in the BRC standard
In addition to the requirements of the standard, BRCGS certification is based on the following criteria:
- Create a food safety strategy by analyzing hazards and implementing HACCP controls.
- Create an internal review system to ensure that standards are adhered to and that they are effective.
- Develop an investigation, analysis, and remedial procedure while implementing the standard related to the legality and quality of food safety.
- Raw supplies, production, and distribution all require traceability.
- Control the enterprise’s premises and equipment to avoid product contamination and verify the company’s legality.
- Establish workplace hygiene standards to avoid product contamination.
- Timely handling allergen-containing items so that their legality, quality, and safety are not compromised.
- Establish a procedure for checking the equipment performance and the phases of product development.
- Create a firm system showing that workers can impact legality and product safety based on their qualifications and experience.
- To increase product quality, food companies must give enough resources, communication, as well as review and action.
3. Applying BRC standards in the packaging production
BRC-certified packaging is a package that has been certified to meet the BRC standard’s requirements. The following is how BRC standards are implemented in package manufacturing:
Gather information
Manufacturers must declare a few information, including information on how to get in touch with Human Resources, declaration of employees’ health conditions, evaluating and enhancing the quality through data gathered from resources.
Create a food safety plan
Manufacturers should evaluate hazards, control points, and the potential possibilities affecting packaging safety. The HACCP standard serves as the foundation for the review principle. Each stage of the BRC packaging production process, such as materials for input, package design, printing procedures, finishing processing, and product handover, has its own set of dangers.
Develop a system of internal evaluation
To guarantee effective compliance with the hazard assessment and to control procedure, this system should closely control the whole package production process at each stage.
Establish a procedure to manage the standard’s implementation
This method is in charge of tracking, assessing, and resolving issues with the standard performance. Some situations may arise, such as materials used in the wrong recipes, errors in the materials used for input, unsafe printing techniques, materials, a lack of safety in the finishing process, etc.
Improve traceability
Materials should be safe for goods or customers as well as need to indicate the material, whether it is BRC plastic or paper packaging. Then, companies should consider the potential effects and dangers that will arise before, during, and after the final product.
Control the facilities of packaging producers
The machinery and equipment utilized in the packaging manufacturing process must be sanitary. All aspects that might influence the packaging’s safety should be monitored. The legality and safety of the packaging will be improved if this is done correctly.
Improve sanitation for BRC packaging production
Businesses should provide environmental hygiene in manufacturing zones to prevent hazards and control key points. Not just BRC packaging, but also packaging companies in general, must maintain a clean working environment regularly.
Handle unsafe materials
Plastic garbage, glue, ink, and other packaging wastes need to be appropriately managed. Additionally, avoiding releasing pollutants that compromise the packaging’s safety is a must.
Check for operational efficiency
At each stage, double-check the efficiency of the equipment and machinery monitoring procedure is required. Manufacturers also have to examine the compliance and performance results after applying the BRC standard.
Build a system that verifies an employee’s safety and legitimacy
Packaging manufacturers must be stringent in their workforce management. Employee wellness has an impact on workplace safety. Regular check-ups for employees’ health and ensuring no infectious diseases are proof of that safety. Employees with equivalent professional expertise, on the other hand, make a significant contribution to legality.
4. Benefits for businesses and consumers
All market players must participate appropriately in the product safety chain, as well as the related due diligence chain. The capacity to supply safe products is also tied to the company’s success as a dependable supplier. BRC-certified packaging is beneficial for both businesses and consumers.
For businesses:
- Satisfying product quality management criteria in importing nations, assisting in expanding product consuming markets.
- Businesses that use BRC packaging will keep a better eye on packaging quality.
- Assist businesses in reducing waste, complaints, recalls, and rejected items through a cycle of continuous development.
- Create a strong legal system to assist companies in better complying with the law.
- Boost consumer trust in the brand’s identity and product safety.
- Serve as a requirement for businesses to self-declare TCVN-compliant items.
- Strengthen relationships with retail distributors.
For customers
- Ensure using the highest product quality and avoid dangerous contamination.
- Consider as a clear indication to buyers that the brand is prestigious.
- Help consumers make better decisions about the things they use in order to enhance their health and quality of life.
At Starprint Vietnam, we have achieved the BRC certificate of food and non-food products secondary packaging applications.
Starprint hopes this article on BRC-certified packaging will give you an overview of adopting this standard to your packaging. If you have any questions or want to place an order for a packaging model that fulfills BRC criteria, you can contact us, or click here to find out more about other certificates and technologies in the printed packaging industry, or discover certificates that Starprint has achieved here.