One of the British Retail Consortium's most influential publications – 'BRC Technical Standard for Companies Supplying Retailer Branded Food Products: Issue 3' – is to be re-branded as 'BRC Global Standard – Food' due to its unprecedented take-up within the food sector.

Developed with input from leading food retailers and manufacturers, the new publication will continue to assist retailers and manufacturers in their fulfilment of legal obligations and protection of the consumer by providing a common basis for the certification of companies supplying food products and ingredients.

Kevin Swoffer, BRC's head of technical services, said: 'The standard was initially developed for own-label products. However, since its development it has been used as a framework to assess food manufacturers within the complete food chain. Although the use of the standard is voluntary, we became aware that suppliers of branded products, food service and catering companies and ingredient suppliers to food manufacturers were being regularly audited against the BRC standard.

'In a move to engage the food industry in its continual use in these areas, both within the UK and internationally, the decision has been made to rename the standard to reflect its wider use.

'The UK retail industry and manufacturers of food products purchase foods and ingredients from a global market. With this re-branding and broadening of scope, there is a commitment by the BRC to influence and promote best practice in food manufacture across all sectors of the industry.'