Is BRCGS accreditation mandatory in the UK?

BRCGS accreditation is not legally mandatory in the UK. However, it is often required by major supermarkets, retailers, and food service companies as a condition of supply. Without it, many businesses may find it difficult to secure or maintain retail contracts.

How long does it take to get BRCGS certification?

The time required depends on your current systems and readiness. On average, BRCGS certification takes between 3 to 12 months. Businesses with established food safety systems may achieve certification more quickly, while those starting from scratch will require more preparation time.

How much does BRCGS accreditation cost?

The cost of BRCGS accreditation varies depending on business size, complexity, and readiness. Typical UK costs include consultancy support, audit fees, training, and system development. Smaller businesses may spend around £3,000–£8,000+, while larger operations can exceed £20,000+. Beacon Compliance provides tailored cost guidance based on your business.

Who needs BRCGS certification?

BRCGS certification is typically required for food manufacturers, co-packers and contract packers, private label suppliers, export-focused food businesses, and companies supplying UK supermarkets. It is especially important for businesses looking to scale into retail or large-scale distribution.

What happens if you fail a BRCGS audit?

If you fail a BRCGS audit, you will receive a report outlining non-conformities that must be corrected. You will then need to address these issues and undergo a re-audit or corrective action review. Working with a consultant can significantly reduce the risk of audit failure.

Food Safety Consultancy Services

Expert Food Safety Support for Every Stage of Your Business

At Beacon Compliance, we help food manufacturers, producers, retailers and hospitality businesses navigate the complex world of food safety and compliance. Whether you're launching a new product, preparing for certification, strengthening your food safety management systems or maintaining ongoing compliance, our experienced consultants provide practical support tailored to your business.

With decades of combined industry experience, we work alongside businesses of all sizes to deliver solutions that are commercially focused, legally compliant and designed to support long-term success. Our aim isn't just to help you pass your next audit—we help you build robust systems that protect your business, your customers and your reputation.

Explore our range of food safety consultancy services below.

SALSA Certification Consultancy

Achieving SALSA certification demonstrates your commitment to producing safe, legal and quality food products. Our consultants provide expert guidance throughout the entire certification process, from gap analysis and documentation through to audit preparation and ongoing compliance support.

Whether you're applying for SALSA certification for the first time or preparing for your next audit, we'll help you achieve certification with confidence.

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BRCGS Certification Consultancy

Preparing for BRCGS certification requires detailed planning, robust documentation and effective food safety management systems. We work with businesses to implement the requirements of the BRCGS Global Standard, identify areas for improvement and prepare for successful certification audits.

Our practical approach helps reduce non-conformances while improving operational confidence.

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HACCP Consultancy

Every food business requires an effective HACCP system to identify, assess and control food safety hazards. We develop, review and improve HACCP plans that are tailored to your products, processes and operational risks.

Whether you need a brand-new HACCP plan or an independent review of your existing system, we provide practical solutions that support legal compliance and certification requirements.

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Laboratory Testing

Laboratory testing provides valuable evidence that your products and production environment meet food safety and quality standards. Through our trusted laboratory partners, we arrange microbiological testing, environmental monitoring, water testing, allergen analysis and shelf-life studies.

We also help interpret laboratory results and provide practical recommendations to support continuous improvement.

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Internal Food Safety Audits

Regular internal audits help identify opportunities for improvement before certification bodies, customers or regulators do. Our independent audits provide an objective assessment of your food safety systems, highlighting strengths, weaknesses and practical recommendations.

Whether you're preparing for SALSA, BRCGS or a customer audit, our consultants help ensure you're fully prepared.

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Supplier Audits

Your suppliers play a critical role in maintaining food safety throughout your supply chain. Our supplier audit service helps businesses assess supplier compliance, reduce risk and demonstrate due diligence.

Independent supplier audits provide confidence that your suppliers continue to meet your food safety, quality and legal requirements.

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Food Labelling Consultancy

Food labelling legislation continues to evolve, making compliance increasingly important. We review product labels to ensure they meet current UK food legislation, including allergen declarations, nutritional information, ingredient listings and mandatory legal requirements.

Our consultants help reduce the risk of costly errors while ensuring your products remain fully compliant.

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Ready to Improve Your Food Safety Compliance?

Whether you're preparing for certification, reviewing your food safety systems or looking for expert technical support, Beacon Compliance is here to help.

Contact our team today to discuss your requirements and discover how our food safety consultancy services can support your business.

Our DIY Options

Not every business requires fully managed consultancy. If you have the time and internal resources to manage your own compliance, our DIY solutions provide the tools, templates and guidance you need to build and maintain effective food safety systems.

Designed by experienced food safety professionals, our downloadable resources help businesses work towards compliance at their own pace while following recognised industry best practice. They're ideal for businesses looking to strengthen their documentation, prepare for certification or improve existing food safety procedures.

Our DIY options include practical templates, guidance documents and compliance packs covering key areas such as HACCP, food safety management systems, policies and procedures.