The International Featured Standards (IFS) are product and food standards that are intended to ensure that a product is manufactured according to customer requirements and the law. The aim is to reduce the suppliers‘ effort involved in quality assurance, while complying with food and product safety regulations.

There are multiple applications for IFS-standards. These can be split into the individual stages of the production process or service:

• IFS Food
  These standards are used to audit factories that process or handle loose food products.
• IFS Cash&Carry/Wholesale
  These rules are for Cash & Carry and/or wholesale companies trading their own loose and packaged products.
• IFS HCP
  In this area, the IFS standards regulate the processing or handling of loose household and personal care products in factories.
• IFS Logistics
  In the logistics sector, these standards specify the handling of food or non-food products by companies and service providers.
• IFS Brokers
  These rules apply to companies that purchase goods but do not come into contact with the goods and deliver them directly to the customer.

Customers‘ benefits from IFS-standards

1. An efficient and safe process for choosing the right supplier especially for own brands and service providers
2. Securing food and product safety, as well as the quality requirements toward the producer and the production process
3. Safe own brands
4. Protection against liability claims

www.ifs-certification.com