What is ISO 22000?
ISO 22000 specifies requirements for a Food Safety Management System (FSMS), enabling any organisation in the food chain to control food safety hazards and ensure food is safe at the point of consumption.
The current edition is ISO 22000:2018. It integrates the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) with the Annex SL management-system structure and prerequisite programmes, applying across the whole farm-to-fork supply chain.
In the UK it supports compliance with Food Standards Agency requirements and food-safety law, and is often a customer requirement. Many UK food businesses pursue GFSI-recognised schemes such as FSSC 22000 (which builds on ISO 22000) to meet major retailer expectations.
How to get ISO 22000 certified
- Establish prerequisite programmes and map your food-safety hazards via HACCP.
- Define critical control points, limits and monitoring.
- Build the FSMS with traceability, recall and verification processes.
- Operate the system and maintain detailed food-safety records.
- Run internal audits and management review.
- Certify with a UKAS-accredited body (or pursue FSSC 22000) and maintain via surveillance and three-yearly re-certification.
Choosing a certification body
For a certificate to carry weight, choose a body accredited by UKAS, the UK's national accreditation body. Accredited certification is recognised by customers and procurement teams; unaccredited certificates often are not. Get quotes from at least three bodies, as fees vary.
How much does ISO 22000 certification cost?
There is no single price — total cost depends on your organisation's size, how much you already have in place, the number of sites, and whether you use a consultant. Broadly, the cost splits into three parts: implementation (building the system), the certification audit (paid to the certification body), and ongoing costs (annual surveillance and a three-yearly re-certification).
- Food-sector audits include hygiene and facility assessment, lengthening on-site time.
- Many retailers require FSSC 22000 rather than ISO 22000 alone, which adds scheme fees.
- Prerequisite-programme infrastructure (hygiene, pest control, calibration) is a significant cost outside the audit.
To get a tailored figure for your organisation, use our free calculator:
Open the ISO 22000 cost calculator →