BRC & IFS audits: why film choice matters
Why material specifications and documentation are linked to your BRC/IFS reality.
Audit-ready with the right choice of film
A BRC or IFS audit depends on more than just your production processes. Auditors look specifically at your packaging materials, their supplier, and the documentation you can provide. Choosing the wrong film can result in a non-conformity. Choosing the right film makes your audit predictable.
What auditors really ask
In practice, we see four categories of questions recurring.
Material compliance. Does the film comply with EU Regulation 10/2011 for materials in contact with food? Is there a DoC (Declaration of Compliance) for each batch? What additives are present, and are they authorised?
Supplier management. Is your film manufacturer itself BRC Packaging certified? At what level (A, AA or AA+)? How often is the supplier itself audited?
Traceability. Can you trace a specific package back to the film batch, the production date, and even the raw materials supplier? How long does your film manufacturer retain that data?
Risk assessment. Have you carried out an FMEA or HACCP analysis for your packaging process? Have potential migration risks been analysed?
What your film manufacturer must be able to provide
To ensure a smooth audit, you should expect your film manufacturer to provide at least the following documents:
- DoC (Declaration of Compliance) per batch
- Migration test reports for the relevant food types
- BRC Packaging certificate with audit date
- Specifications sheet detailing material composition
- Recycled content dossier (where applicable)
- Traceability chain back to raw materials
If you do not receive these documents within 48 hours of requesting them, your audit file is at risk.
BRC Packaging Level AA: why this matters
Hobon is BRC Packaging Level AA certified. This means: the highest level of audit result, not just ‘complies with’ but ‘exceeds expectations’ across a large number of criteria. For you as a customer, this directly reduces your risk. You do not need to carry out your own annual on-site audit of a manufacturer with AA status as part of your own supplier management.
The three most common non-conformities with film
From experience, we see these three most frequently:
One: missing DoC for a batch. The film is fine, but the paperwork arrives too late. Unnecessary stress during audit week.
Two: recycled material in the contact layer of food packaging. Sometimes unintentional, because the supplier changed the blend without informing the customer.
Three: lack of colour migration testing for printed film. Printing inks can migrate. Without test documentation, this poses a risk.
Do you want to get through your next BRC or IFS audit without any surprises? Start with your film dossier. Discuss your packaging requirements.