BRCGS Food Safety: pest management as an audit focus

The BRCGS Global Standard Food Safety covers pest management in a section of its own, and it checks thoroughly. If you supply internationally, there is no way around it.BRCGS checks pest management in a section of its own, and thoroughly. If you supply internationally, there is no way around it.

As of 10/2026 · sources linked directly on the page

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Key facts at a glance

Preventive, not reactive

BRCGS expects a program that prevents infestation, not one that documents it after the fact. That requires trend analysis.

Complete records

Station location plan, inspection intervals, results, measures, trend analysis: everything has to be available and consistent.

Trends instead of snapshots

The standard requires you to identify developments. That is only possible with data over time.

What the standard requires

BRCGS Food Safety, chapter 4.14: pest management

The Global Standard Food Safety (Issue 9) covers pest management in chapter 4.14. These are the points auditors look at, and how you can prove them with digital monitoring.

Ch. 4.14Effective, preventive program

Prevent pests from entering, detect pests through regular inspections and eliminate infestations.

The stations report around the clock instead of only on inspection day, so infestations are noticed before they spread.

Ch. 4.14Competent execution

A competent pest controller or suitably trained in-house staff carry out inspections and control measures.

The alerts go to your service provider or your team. Assessment and control remain with the expert.

Ch. 4.14Frequency based on risk

How often inspections take place depends on the risk at the site.

The history per station shows where the risk actually lies and justifies the chosen interval.

Ch. 4.14Location plan and records

Location plan of the stations as well as records of inspections, recommendations and measures taken.

Every station has its place in the digital location plan, every event a time stamp and a documented response.

Ch. 4.14In-depth survey at least annually

A documented, comprehensive survey by an expert, more often depending on risk, but at least once a year.

The data for a whole year is already analyzed and available for this survey.

Ch. 4.14Identifying trends

The results are analyzed to identify developments and problem areas.

The trend analysis is a view of data that is generated anyway, not an extra report.

Sources: BRCGS Food Safety at the publisher
Summary in our own words; the original text of the standard is authoritative (available for a fee from BRCGS).

What the auditor wants to see

A plan with all stations, proof of regular inspections, documented responses to every irregularity and an analysis that makes trends visible. The last point is where conventional logs fail: if you inspect once a month, you have twelve data points a year. If you monitor digitally, you have a history.

What digital monitoring contributes

Every event is recorded with a time stamp, every station has its place in the location plan, every response is traceable. The trend report is not extra work, but a view of data that already exists.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers

Does BRCGS also apply to German food businesses?

Yes, if your customers require it. This is often the case for exports to the UK and with large international retail chains. The pest management requirements then apply just as they do to British businesses.

How does BRCGS differ from IFS when it comes to pest management?

Hardly at all at its core: both require a preventive program with plan, inspection, response and trend analysis. BRCGS additionally requires an at least annual, documented in-depth inspection by an expert. The documentation from the traplinked App covers both standards.

How does the data from digital monitoring get into the BRCGS audit?

As an export from the traplinked App: history per station, event list and documented responses, for any period you choose. The trend analysis BRCGS requires is not extra work, but a view of data that is generated anyway.

DIN 10523 Audit-proof documentation IFS & HACCP

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