IFS (International Featured Standards) is an international food safety standard aimed at food manufacturers. IFS is part of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), and its focus is on the safety and quality of processes and products.
The IFS (International Food Standard) combines a quality standard with a food safety standard, developed to assess the competence of food manufacturers in terms of safety and quality. The IFS standard has been adopted primarily by major retail chains’ private label brands (such as Metro Group, Lidl, Delhaize Group, Auchan, Carrefour Group, EMC – Groupe Casino, Edeka, Rewe Group, Aldi, Leclerc, Monoprix, Picard Surgelés, Provera (Cora and Supermarchés Match), Système U, COOP, CONAD, and Unes). Currently, 9 out of 10 of the largest European retail brands apply it, and they collaborate to improve and adapt the standard to the market. According to the retailer codes of practice, all manufacturers or traders of branded food must have the IFS certification.
At its core, the IFS structure aligns with ISO 9001 standards as well as HACCP, and is also based on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Hygiene Practice (GHP). Therefore, the implementation of the IFS standard follows the same procedures as other standards, with the addition of specific IFS requirements. After full implementation of all requirements, the organization applies for IFS certification through accredited certification bodies, such as TUV AUSTRIA.
The IFS certificate is issued for one year, meaning that every year a certification check is conducted to ensure compliance with all requirements. Given that the IFS organization continuously works on improving its standards, frequent updates and additions to the IFS requirements occur, which the organization must fulfill annually. Additionally, here you can see what the new Version 8 brings.
