BRCGS Packaging Materials Issue7 Management System

The BRCGS Global Standard for Packaging Materials, Issue 7, is an internationally recognised certification scheme setting requirements for the safe, legal and consistent manufacture of packaging materials and components. It reaches sites producing or supplying packaging of every kind, from food-contact and consumer materials through to industrial and pharmaceutical applications, and brand owners and retailers lean on it as a supplier-approval benchmark in place of their own assessments.

Issue 7 is organised around a small group of fundamental clauses and a wider set of detailed provisions: senior management commitment and continual improvement; a documented hazard and risk management system covering product safety, quality and legality; the product safety and quality management system supporting it; site and plant standards addressing layout, maintenance, housekeeping and hygiene; and controls over product and process, contamination prevention and personnel competence. Traceability, complaint handling, incident management, product recall and management of non-conforming material are core expectations, and the emphasis falls on a risk-based, prevention-focused culture rather than end-product testing alone. The scheme aligns with ISO 9001 principles and is recognised under the Global Food Safety Initiative for packaging where relevant, with certification following an independent audit by an accredited certification body, graded non-conformities requiring corrective action, and the grade held through scheduled surveillance or recertification.