“We don’t have one version of the truth”

If product data lives in emails, spreadsheets, and shared drives, you don’t have control - you have hope.

That’s fine… until someone asks:

· “Which spec is current?”

· “Which allergen statement was approved?”

· “Why is the label copy different to the spec?”

This is the kind of thing that can come up during:

· BRCGS / IFS audits (document control + product specification management)

· Retailer/customer technical audits (they’ll compare what you say vs what you supply)

· FSA / Local Authority inspections if there’s a complaint or incident and they request 

evidence.

Real-world example:

A product is made using a recipe that was “nearly final” but not approved, meaning:

· allergen risk changes

· nutrition changes

· legal name or QUID may no longer be correct

· shelf-life assumptions may be wrong