Co-operative Supermarket Suppliers To Switch To Unannounced Audits
BRC Global Standards have announced that The Co-operative Society in the UK have notified their manufacturers of Co-operative brand products in the UK and Ireland that all BRC audits must be unannounced.
FoodChain ID Certification Europe & other certification bodies have been informed that all manufacturers of Co-operative brand products in the UK and Ireland must make the switch to BRC unannounced option 1 audits.
Who does this apply to?
All manufacturing facilities in the UK and Ireland that manufacture Co-operative own brand products.
What can you expect?
Sites have been told to contact their Certification Bodies by the 11th January 2016 to notify them of the change to the unannounced scheme.
All BRC Certification bodies who audit Co-operative own brand manufacturers, including BRC 5* rated FoodChain ID Certification Europe, are expected to contact their customers to give them time to prepare for the change.
Which unannounced scheme?
BRC Food issue 7 Unannounced Option 1
Start date:
All audits due after 1st July 2016
What Next?
In response to this, FoodChain ID Europe are offering a variety of training services run by food industry experts and ex BRC auditors. FoodChain ID Europe is offering training courses on how to transition from an announced audit to an unannounced audit in early 2016. This will assist many Co-operative suppliers in preparing for their upcoming unannounced audits. FoodChain ID Europe consultants are also offering a bespoke package of a mock unannouned audit to prepare co-operative suppliers for their full BRC unannounced audit.