BRCGS Packaging: Printing, Food Contact and Material Changes
Packaging assessment connects safety and integrity to intended use. Facility certification is not unrestricted food-contact approval for every food and temperature.
Questions for your situation
Can BRCGS Packaging apply to non-food packaging?
The programme is not limited to food packaging; assess the actual manufacturing or conversion activity. Explain intended use and customer safety conditions. Different applications should not automatically receive the same risk treatment. Determine the suitable route separately for trading, repacking and manufacturing activities.
Is risk assessment unnecessary if printing ink does not directly touch food?
Assess potential transfer or contamination during winding, stacking and use. Prepare evidence relevant to food contact, material structure and legislation. Printing on the outside does not automatically eliminate every risk. Verify ink and process choices for the intended packaging application.
Is changing to recycled material only an environmental choice?
The source change may affect composition, purity, processing and performance. Check specific food-contact rules where applicable. Establish acceptance criteria and change evidence. Reports for the previous material do not automatically support every use of the new recycled content.
Does our certificate also cover lamination performed at another facility?
Assess the outsourced process's effects and programme scope rules. Define responsibilities, traceability and change notifications. Your facility certificate does not establish separate certification of another site. Customer-facing scope claims should reflect actual assessment boundaries.
What should happen if a customer requests the same packaging for hot filling?
Compare temperature, contact time, food type and storage with the existing specification. Update necessary contact and performance evidence. Identical appearance does not establish unchanged conditions of use. Plan trials and laboratory work before the customer's delivery date.
Is segregating visibly incorrect cases enough after a print mix-up?
Identify affected production and dispatches. Packaging carrying allergens or instructions may also affect the customer's food safety. Complete necessary notifications and tracing. Correct causes in artwork approval, line clearance and changeover controls rather than closing the issue through sorting alone.
Share the subject, organisation or product, target market, current evidence and target date. The team can then separate consultancy, official fees, independent evaluation and realistic timing.