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.
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 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.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
Can I supply a supermarket with only SALSA?
How long does SALSA certification take?
How much does BRCGS cost compared to SALSA?
Is SALSA recognised in Ireland?
Do I need software for either scheme?
See this done in software, on real production data.
Keystone runs the full chain, supplier delivery → batch → dispatch → customer, in under 30 seconds. 20-minute discovery call, no sales pitch.