Product Control Policy

Govern product requirements across the full control scope

The policy applies product-control governance across all products, processes and departments within the defined FSQMS scope. It requires product risks relating to safety, legality, authenticity and quality to be identified, assessed and controlled, with product-control requirements clearly defined, documented, implemented and maintained.

That governance extends from product design and formulation through to release and disposition, providing one policy position for the controls applied across those activities.

Keep specifications, labels, allergens, authenticity and packaging under control

The policy requires specifications to be accurate, authorised and reflective of current formulations, processes and legal requirements. Labelling and pack controls are required to address the risks of mislabelling, mispackaging and incorrect product release, while allergen controls are directed at unintended contamination and incorrect declaration.

Product authenticity and claims must be substantiated and protected against fraud or substitution, and packaging materials must be suitable for their intended use without compromising product integrity. Together, these principles keep specification, labelling, allergen, authenticity and packaging requirements within the same product-control governance framework.

Use risk and objective evidence to support product-control decisions

Inspection, testing and analysis are required to be appropriate and risk-based, supporting verification of compliance. Decisions that may affect product safety, legality, authenticity or quality are to be based on risk assessment, objective evidence and consumer protection.

Product release sits within that same governance position. Products may be released only when all defined requirements have been met, making fulfilment of those requirements a condition of release.

Place accountability from senior management to day-to-day operation

Senior management is responsible for leadership, oversight and accountability for effective product control, including the human, financial and infrastructure resources needed to support it. Product-control risks are also required to be considered within management review and decision-making, alongside continual improvement of product-control systems and performance.

Quality and technical management is responsible for establishing, implementing and maintaining product-control procedures. Its responsibilities include keeping specifications, labels and product information accurate, authorised and controlled; managing allergen controls, product testing and product-release decisions; investigating non-conformities, complaints and incidents; and ensuring compliance with legal, customer and internal requirements.

Managers and supervisors implement the relevant procedures within their areas and are responsible for ensuring staff understand and follow product-control requirements and that risks or non-conformities are identified, reported and addressed promptly. Employees are required to follow the controls relevant to their roles and report conditions or activities that could compromise product safety, legality, authenticity or quality.

Connect policy direction with the procedures that implement product control

As a governance policy, the document sets the organisational position rather than reproducing each operating mechanism. Supporting procedures define how its requirements are implemented in practice across product design and development, specifications management, labelling and pack control, allergen management, authenticity and claims, packaging control, inspection, testing and analysis, and product release and non-conforming product control.

This relationship gives the wider FSQMS a consistent basis for developing detailed controls beneath a common product-control commitment: safety, legality, authenticity and defined quality requirements remain the reference points for how products are designed, described, checked and released.