Certification to the IFS standard is rapidly becoming a fundamental requirement of many leading European retailers particularly in Germany and France. Developed originally by the German retailers (BDH) and amended with the assistance of the French Retail Group(FCD) the standard is designed to assess the ability of food processors to comply with food safety requirements and demonstrate due diligence. Certification can be achieved at two levels, Foundation and Higher Level depending on the score achieved at the assessment.

The standard was developed to assist retailers in their fulfillment of legal obligations and protection of the consumer, by providing a common basis for the audit of companies supplying retailer branded food products.

The principal requirements of the IFS Technical Standard are the adoption of HACCP, a documented quality management system and control of factory environmental standards, product, process and personnel