The next evolution of globally recognised consumer product safety certification

Issue 5

Issue 5 is coming soon

Protecting consumers. Delivering confidence. Trusted products worldwide.

BRCGS Consumer Products Issue 5 will be formally published on 13 October, introducing the next evolution of a globally recognised certification programme trusted by retailers, brands and manufacturers to support product safety, legality and quality across the consumer products supply chain.

In an increasingly complex global marketplace, consumer expectations are rising and supply chains are under greater scrutiny. Every product on every retailer shelf carries a brand’s reputation, making independent assurance of product integrity more important than ever. Consumer Products certification provides that assurance through a structured, risk-based framework designed to help organisations demonstrate compliance, reduce risk and build confidence with customers and consumers.

Supporting manufacturing sites with one globally accepted certification

For manufacturing sites, Issue 5 provides a clear, consistent way to demonstrate product safety, legality and quality, replacing costly second-party audits with one independent assessment that reduces audit burden, improves efficiency, supports retailer requirements, opens market access and drives continuous improvement.

Greater confidence for retailers, brands and specifiers

For specifiers, Consumer Products certification provides independent accredited verification that supplier sites meet recognised expectations for product safety, legality and quality, supporting informed supplier approval, stronger supply chain oversight, reduced reliance on fragmented second-party audits, improved visibility of supplier capability, enhanced consumer protection and stronger brand protection.

13 October publication

Issue 5 will be launched at our next flagship event, BRCGS Connect Americas, on 13 October. It will also be published on the BRCGS website on this day.

Issue 5 reinforces the role of the Consumer Products standard as a trusted framework for product integrity, supply chain confidence and continuous improvement. It reflects the needs of both manufacturing sites and the global marketplace, helping businesses move from reactive compliance to proactive product safety management.

Transition timeline

As with all revisions of the Global Standards, there must be a transition period for certificated sites between the publication of the new issue and full implementation of its requirements.

Issue 5 will be published on 13 October 2026.
Certification audits against Issue 5 will commence on 01 June 2027

"Being part of the BRCGS Consumer Products Issue 5 Technical Working Group has been both an honour and a truly rewarding professional experience. Collaborating with professionals from different countries, industries and technical backgrounds provided a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge, learn from different perspectives and contribute to the development of a Standard that reflects the evolving and future needs of the global consumer products sector. Throughout the process, we were united by a shared objective: to develop a Standard that is not only technically robust, but also practical, risk-based and capable of guiding organizations through evolving challenges while strengthening product integrity and fostering a culture of continual improvement.

My hope is that Issue 5 will provide organisations with a clear and globally relevant framework that goes beyond supporting compliance by strengthening product safety, quality and legal compliance, while encouraging proactive risk management and continual improvement. I believe it will help organisations respond more effectively to evolving stakeholder expectations, build greater confidence throughout the supply chain and demonstrate their commitment to delivering safe and trusted consumer products.

I am proud to have been part of this collaborative journey and look forward to seeing the positive impact that Issue 5 will have in supporting organisations, driving continual improvement and reinforcing confidence across the global Consumer Products sector."