FSSC 22000 vs BRCGS vs IFS
FSSC 22000, BRCGS Food Safety and IFS Food are different routes to food safety certification. GFSI publishes which programme versions and scopes are recognised . That recognition does not mean that every certified company works equally safely, or that every customer accepts each other’s certificates. Start with the activities at your site and the written requirements of your customers.
FSSC 22000 builds on ISO 22000 with additional elements. BRCGS Food Safety and IFS Food have their own requirements and assessment methods. If you already use ISO 22000, you can use FSSC 22000 vs ISO 22000 to check what the extension involves.
The three schemes side by side
| Decision point | FSSC 22000 | BRCGS Food Safety | IFS Food |
|---|---|---|---|
| System basis | ISO 22000, applicable PRP programmes and additional scheme requirements | Own standard and certification protocol | Own standard and certification protocol |
| Scope definition | Applicable food chain category and activities | Products, processes and site within the certification scope | Products and processes within the certification scope |
| Audit outcome | Certification decision; no BRCGS grade | Certification decision with grade at certification | Certification decision with assessment score and level |
| Fit with an existing ISO 22000 system | Check which additional requirements are missing | Compare per requirement; ISO documents alone are not enough | Compare per requirement; ISO documents alone are not enough |
| Customer acceptance | Check in writing | Check in writing, including any grade requirement | Check in writing, including any required level |
Use the table for your first shortlist. Then check the current version, scope and transition rules with the scheme owner and certification body. A general reference to “GFSI” in a contract may need further explanation.
Differences in audit methodology
BRCGS uses grades. A plus next to the grade refers to the unannounced audit route. The grade depends on the audit file and the official assessment rules. Read the explanation of BRCGS audit outcomes. Do not infer a certification decision from a single letter or an old summary.
For IFS Food, the assessment of requirements, the total score and special findings play a role. The current standard and doctrine determine the outcome. According to the official IFS Food explanation , the audit takes place every year, and at least every third audit must be unannounced. So it is not purely an optional bonus.
BRCGS also has mandatory unannounced audits within the applicable programmes. The BRCGS audit route therefore deserves its own place in your capacity planning. For FSSC, also have the applicable audit cycle and unannounced assessment stated in the quotation.
Which one does your customer ask for?
Replace assumptions about countries or supermarket brands with a requirements matrix. Purchasing terms can differ per product category, site and contract.
| Question to the customer | Answer to record |
|---|---|
| Which scheme do you accept? | Specific standard or multiple permitted options |
| Which site and products must be covered? | Site, activity and product group |
| Is a minimum grade or level required? | Exact condition, if applicable |
| When must the evidence be available? | Contractual date and any transition agreement |
| Which evidence do you want to receive? | Certificate, scope, status verification or additional information |
Hypothetical example: a potato processor receives an explicit BRCGS requirement from customer A. Customer B accepts both BRCGS and FSSC. One BRCGS certification can then serve both requests, provided the scope, grade and other conditions match. A second certificate does not add any extra coverage for these two contracts on its own.
Dual certification: BRCGS and FSSC
Two schemes can make sense when proven customer requirements cannot be met with one certificate. Budget for both assessments, follow-up of deviations, any scheme fees and internal management. Ask which audit elements can be combined and which must stay separate.
Processes such as traceability, internal audits and supplier assessment can share information. How much work that saves depends on the starting situation and the requirements. Do not use a fixed overlap percentage as a budgeting basis.
First compare customer requirements, scope and missing measures. Then have a quote made for the remaining options on the same basis.