Supplier and product approval
Define ownership, expected evidence, monitoring and escalation before relying on this control.
World time
Food & Beverage / COHSEW knowledge
Food Retail & Grocery
Safe products, accurate information and controlled conditions from receiving to checkout.
Objective
What this area means for safer, healthier and more responsible operations.
Retailers manage high product variety, multiple suppliers, chilled and frozen chains, open food, date codes, allergens and product withdrawals. COHSEW supports store standards, supplier evidence, temperature control, hygiene and rapid traceability.
COHSEW principleUse competent, risk-based assurance to prevent harm, verify control and support continual improvement.
Priority controls
Where organisations should focus.
Priorities must be adapted to the organisation, activity, location, affected people and applicable legal requirements.
Chilled, frozen and hot-chain control
Define ownership, expected evidence, monitoring and escalation before relying on this control.
Open-food hygiene and allergen information
Define ownership, expected evidence, monitoring and escalation before relying on this control.
Date coding, withdrawal and recall
Define ownership, expected evidence, monitoring and escalation before relying on this control.
How COHSEW supports you
From risk question to measurable assurance.
Our specialists help organisations select proportionate methods, preserve independence and turn technical evidence into action.
- 01Segment controls by product risk
Agree the scope, accountable owner, evidence and success measures, then review effectiveness over time.
- 02Verify store execution through targeted checks
Agree the scope, accountable owner, evidence and success measures, then review effectiveness over time.
- 03Connect complaints and returns to supplier action
Agree the scope, accountable owner, evidence and success measures, then review effectiveness over time.
Authoritative guidance
Continue with the primary sources.
These external resources informed this page. Always confirm current national law, regulator guidance and contractual requirements for your location.
01FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius
Codex codes of practice
Open official source ↗02Food and Agriculture OrganizationFood loss and waste
Open official source ↗03International Organization for StandardizationISO 22000 food safety management
Open official source ↗Information on this page supports awareness and programme design. It is not legal, medical or regulatory advice, does not reproduce the full text of any standard and does not replace competent assessment of your specific circumstances.
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