Cats Flexible Packaging (NL) & Sabre Triad Limited (UK) have both achieved BRC IoP certification (BRC IoP: British Retail Consortium and the Institute of Packaging) . The BRC IoP certificate was first introduced 3 years ago when British Retailers gathered forces to ensure the quality of products offered to the end user was continually improved. It has now become a standard in the food industry.

More and more food industry customers demand a BRC IoP certificate from their packaging suppliers. This “Quality and Food Safety” system has been designed to protect consumers from unsafe foods, through microbiological contamination (e.g. salmonella in chicken), chemical contamination (e.g. dioxin in milk) or foreign body contamination (e.g. pieces of glass in beer bottles).

Full safety can only be achieved after a thorough hazard analyses has taken place throughout the entire supply chain. The whole process from packaging development to final transport of goods to the customer needs to be analysed and governed by well-defined working procedures.

The use of shatterproof light bulbs, thus avoiding the possibility of glass splinters mixing with product, is just one of many good examples of eliminating critical danger points during the manufacturing process. Another is the mandatory use of vivid blue plasters supplied in first aid kits.

All companies with a BRC IoP certificate produce according to the same principal rules and procedures. It is now easier for customers to audit their packaging suppliers and measure them against a common food industry approved standard.

Achieving BRC IoP certification will involve some investment; however the security and health of our consumers is worth it and moreover the system provides many additional benefits:

• Less customer audits - many customers are satisfied with a copy of the BRC IoP Certificate.
• Helps to prevent product recalls
• Better structure and clear lines of responsibility within certified organisations.
• Customer audits become easier as they follow a clear structure and often result in a better score. 
• Reduction in complaints
• Competitive benefits

Sabre Triad Limited (UK) and Cats Flexible Packaging BV (NL) are satisfied to be following BRC IoP guidelines and are willing to continue to develop the system in the future thus offering our customers the very best possible product quality. The second version of BRC/IoP Global Standard – Issue 2, was published in August and came into force on the 1st September 2004. Cats Flexible Packaging BV and Sabre Triad Limited are confident of achieving this higher level at the next review in line with their principles of continuous improvement.

For more information concerning BRC IoP please contact:
Sabre Triad Limited             Mr Christopher Camberlain phone 0044.(0)1772.655.325
Cats Flexible Packaging     Mr Jaco van der Leun            phone 0031.(0)10.2941.700