Standards Comparison

    CCPA

    Mandatory
    2020

    California regulation granting residents data privacy rights

    VS

    BRC

    Voluntary
    2022

    GFSI-benchmarked global standard for food safety manufacturing.

    Quick Verdict

    CCPA mandates privacy rights for California residents' data, enforced by fines and litigation, while BRC is a voluntary food safety certification ensuring manufacturing standards via audits. Companies adopt CCPA for legal compliance, BRC for retailer access and quality assurance.

    Data Privacy

    CCPA

    California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA)

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Grants consumers rights to know, delete, correct, opt-out of sales/sharing
    • Applies to businesses over $25M revenue or 100K+ CA data subjects
    • Mandates notices at collection and Do Not Sell/Share links
    • Requires honoring Global Privacy Control opt-out signals
    • Imposes $7,500 per intentional violation fines by CPPA
    Food Safety

    BRC

    BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Senior management commitment and food safety culture plan
    • Codex HACCP-based food safety plan with fundamentals
    • Risk-based environmental monitoring and zoning
    • Strict scope rules and exclusions for trust
    • Graded certification with unannounced audits

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    CCPA Details

    What It Is

    The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), is a state regulation empowering California residents with control over personal information. It targets businesses via revenue ($25M+), data volume (100K+ consumers/devices), or sales (50%+ revenue) thresholds. Employs a rights-based, threshold-driven approach for data governance.

    Key Components

    • Consumer rights: know/access, delete, opt-out sale/sharing, correct, limit sensitive PI use
    • Broad PI definition: identifiers, inferences, household data
    • Notices at collection, privacy policies, vendor contracts, security measures
    • No certification; compliance via documented practices, 45-day request responses

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory for qualifiers to evade $2,500-$7,500/violation fines, breach lawsuits
    • Enhances trust, data efficiency, market differentiation
    • Mitigates risks, aligns with GDPR-like regimes, enables partnerships

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: scoping (0-3 months), policies/contracts (1-4 months), tech/automation (2-6 months), training/audits (ongoing). Applies globally to CA-tied for-profits; cross-functional, tech-heavy with data mapping, DSAR tools.

    BRC Details

    What It Is

    BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety (Issue 9) is a third-party certification framework for food manufacturers, processors, and packers. It ensures product safety, legality, authenticity, and quality through a structured, auditable management system. Built on Codex HACCP principles and robust prerequisite programs (GMP/GHP), it applies globally to sites handling processed foods, ingredients, primary products, and pet food.

    Key Components

    • Nine core clauses: senior management, HACCP plan, FSQMS, site standards, product/process controls, personnel, high-risk zones, traded products.
    • Fundamental requirements (e.g., internal audits, traceability, allergen management) critical for certification.
    • GFSI-benchmarked with grading (AA/A/B/C/D), announced/unannounced audits, root cause analysis.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandated by retailers for supply chain access.
    • Reduces recalls, enhances due diligence, supports FSMA compliance.
    • Builds trust, operational resilience, market differentiation.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased approach: gap analysis, documentation, training, internal audits, certification audit. Suited for manufacturers globally; 6-12 months typical for mid-sized sites.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    CCPA
    Consumer data privacy rights and business obligations
    BRC
    Food safety, quality management, and site standards

    Industry

    CCPA
    All businesses handling CA resident data, global reach
    BRC
    Food manufacturers, packaging, storage; worldwide adoption

    Nature

    CCPA
    State regulation with enforcement and private actions
    BRC
    Voluntary GFSI-benchmarked certification standard

    Testing

    CCPA
    Consumer request handling, security audits, no certification
    BRC
    Annual third-party site audits, announced/unannounced

    Penalties

    CCPA
    $2,500-$7,500 per violation, breach litigation
    BRC
    Certification loss, no legal fines

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about CCPA and BRC

    CCPA FAQ

    BRC FAQ

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