BRCGS Packaging Materials Consulting
Excellence in packaging safety and quality
Packaging is an inseparable part of the product it protects. The BRCGS Packaging Materials standard is a globally recognized discipline that secures hygiene, safety, legality and quality in packaging manufacture. At HRQ we bring your packaging plants up to this demanding standard and protect your brand reputation and operational efficiency.
The global standard difference in packaging
We do not treat your packaging processes as a technical obligation only. We give them a structure that meets the most demanding supply chain requirements of global food and consumer brands.
Risk-focused safety (HARA)
We design hazard analysis and risk assessment (HARA) processes that fully meet BRCGS Packaging and manage physical, chemical and migration risks at the source.
Traceability
We set up traceable, reportable record-keeping for every critical stage, from the intake of raw materials such as polymers, paper and inks to final dispatch.
3D culture integration
With our Thought–Emotion–Behavior (3D) model, everyone on the packaging line turns product safety, contamination prevention and quality awareness into a lasting culture.
Zero-error audit preparation
Realistic cross-checks before the formal audit remove nonconformities early and put you in the best position for a top certification grade.
Strategic integration steps for your plant
We structure every layer of packaging safety, from raw material intake to printing, extrusion and forming.
Gap analysis
We map your plant's physical infrastructure, machinery and documentation against the technical criteria of BRCGS Packaging and list the gaps.
Product safety and quality management
We design HARA processes for your product groups and prepare from scratch the technical documentation covering legal requirements, raw material specifications and contamination barriers.
Hygiene and factory standards
We bring production area zoning, foreign body control (glass, hard plastic and so on), pest control and site security up to international standards.
Supplier approval and traceability
We design risk analyses for recycled material use and critical input suppliers, and optimize forward and backward mass-balance traceability tests.
Mock audit
Before the formal certification audit, we run announced and unannounced mock audits that test site operations and documentation through a lead auditor's eyes, and close every gap.
Frequently asked questions
The most important points on packaging materials certification, HARA analysis and transition.
Who needs BRCGS Packaging Materials certification?
Any company producing primary (in direct contact with the product), secondary or tertiary packaging for the food, cosmetics and consumer products sectors can be certified. That includes plastic extrusion, paper and board, flexible packaging, glass, metal and wood packaging manufacturers, and every site that prints on or cuts these materials.
What is HARA in packaging manufacture?
HARA (hazard analysis and risk assessment) is a science-based approach to managing risk in non-food products. It stops physical risks (dust, hair, insects), chemical risks (ink migration, solvent residues) and biological risks that can arise during packaging manufacture at critical control points, so they do not affect product safety.
How do risk levels inside the site (product contact) change the audit?
Different hygiene and operational barrier rules apply depending on how the packaging will be used, for example film in direct contact with meat versus outer cartons. This risk-based approach sets how deep the audit goes into microbiological controls and chemical analysis (migration testing).
Why do major food and retail brands require BRCGS packaging certification?
Food safety starts with packaging. This GFSI-benchmarked certificate shows that the supplier's packaging will not pass harmful chemicals into food (migration), transfer odors or carry physical contamination. It lets global brands protect their own products and reputation.
Related training
In-house training in this area from HRQ Academy.
Take your packaging quality global
Our expert team is here to help you reach the highest global standards in packaging production, become a preferred choice in international supplier networks and complete BRCGS Packaging Materials certification successfully.