Guide · Compliance
BRCGS vs SALSA: which certification does your buyer actually require?
For small and mid-size producers in Ireland and the UK, the certification question usually reduces to two candidates: SALSA, the proportionate scheme for smaller suppliers, and BRCGS, the GFSI-benchmarked standard the national multiples expect. Choosing wrong wastes a year and a five-figure sum in one direction, or blocks a contract in the other. Here's the practical comparison.
Home › BRCGS vs SALSA: Which Certification Does Your Buyer Require?
What each scheme actually is
SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval) was created by UK food industry bodies specifically for small and micro producers supplying locally and regionally, farm shops, delis, independents, foodservice, and regional retail listings. Its standard covers HACCP-based food safety, traceability, supplier control and premises at a depth proportionate to a small operation, audited by SALSA-approved auditors.
BRCGS Food Safety (currently BRCGS traceability requirements) is a GFSI-benchmarked global standard, audited by accredited certification bodies, and is the de facto entry requirement for own-label supply to national multiples and for many export customers. Its requirements are deeper everywhere: documented systems, the 4-hour traceability test with mass balance, vertical audits, unannounced audit options, and graded certificates.
The side-by-side
| Dimension | SALSA | BRCGS Food Safety (BRCGS traceability requirements) |
|---|
| Designed for | Small & micro producers, local/regional supply | Suppliers to multiples, export, own-label |
| Recognition | UK/IE buyers, regional retail, foodservice | GFSI-benchmarked, global retailers & manufacturers |
| Typical all-in cost | Hundreds to low thousands per year | Several thousand per year plus preparation cost |
| Audit depth | Proportionate; ~1 day | Deep; 1.5–3+ days; graded; unannounced options |
| Traceability ask | Lot-level, both directions, tested exercise | Same plus 4-hour timed test, mass balance, vertical audit |
| Who typically requires it | Farm shops, delis, independents, some wholesalers | Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S, Aldi, Lidl own-label; many exporters |
The decision rule
Ask your three biggest current buyers and your one dream buyer what they require, certification is a commercial door-opener, not a trophy. If your pipeline is independents and regional listings, SALSA is almost always the right first badge: proportionate cost, achievable in months, and it professionalises the same systems BRCGS will later deepen. If a multiple's own-label contract is on the table, BRCGS is usually non-negotiable and you should build toward it directly.
The trap to avoid is buying BRCGS-depth systems and consultancy before any buyer requires it, or, conversely, treating SALSA so lightly that the records wouldn't survive a step up.
The step-up strategy: SALSA first, BRCGS when a contract demands it, is the common path, and it works cleanly if your records are lot-level from day one. The step up adds timing evidence, mass-balance tolerances and audit depth; it should not require a different kind of record. Producers who kept product-level (not lot-level) records under SALSA effectively start again.
The traceability core is the same climb
Both schemes test the identical fundamental: connect what came in, through what you made, to who received it, with records, in reasonable time, in both directions. SALSA checks it proportionately; BRCGS times it, quantifies it and picks the lot for you. This is why the systems decision matters more than the scheme decision: lot-level goods-in, batch records that name their inputs, and dispatch lines that carry batch codes serve both audits without modification. Keystone produces exactly that evidence shape, which badge is on the certificate changes the paperwork template, not the preparation.
Key takeaways
In one glance.
- SALSA = proportionate scheme for small/local suppliers; BRCGS = GFSI-benchmarked passport to multiples and export.
- Let your buyers decide: certification is a commercial requirement, not a trophy.
- The traceability fundamentals are identical, lot-level records in both directions, tested.
- Keep records lot-level under SALSA and the step up to BRCGS adds depth, not rework.
- Budget honestly: SALSA is hundreds-to-low-thousands annually; BRCGS is several thousand plus preparation.
FAQs
Frequently asked.
Can I supply a supermarket with only SALSA?
Sometimes regionally, several multiples run local/regional supplier programmes that accept SALSA for small listings. National own-label supply almost always requires BRCGS (or another GFSI-benchmarked standard). Ask the retailer's technical team before investing either way.
How long does SALSA certification take?
Producers with working HACCP-based systems and reasonable records typically reach audit-readiness in 2–4 months. The audit itself is around a day, with corrective actions handled afterwards.
How much does BRCGS cost compared to SALSA?
SALSA runs hundreds to low thousands per year all-in. BRCGS certification (audit fees, certification body, plus preparation and any consultancy) typically lands at several thousand per year, and the internal preparation effort is the bigger real cost.
Is SALSA recognised in Ireland?
SALSA is a UK-origin scheme and is used by producers on the island of Ireland supplying UK and NI buyers. Irish producers supplying Irish multiples more often go straight to BRCGS; check what your specific buyers accept.
Do I need software for either scheme?
No, both certify paper and spreadsheet systems regularly. Software earns its place when records are slow or person-dependent, or when you're preparing the step up to BRCGS timing and mass-balance evidence.