HACCP Monitoring & Records

HACCP Delivery & Supplier Records: What to Document

Delivery Checks and Supplier Records for HACCP Compliance

Your HACCP system starts before food enters your kitchen. Receiving deliveries is a critical control point in most food businesses because it is your first opportunity to reject unsafe food. Under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 and EC Regulation 852/2004, food business operators must ensure that food received is safe and traceable. This means checking temperatures, packaging integrity, use-by dates, and supplier credentials at every delivery. The records you keep prove that these checks are happening consistently.

Key takeaways

Check and record the temperature of every chilled and frozen delivery on arrival.

Maintain a supplier approval register with certifications, review dates, and non-conformance records.

Traceability records (delivery notes, invoices, batch codes) must allow you to trace any product one step back.

Rejecting non-compliant deliveries and documenting the rejection is your HACCP system working correctly.

Review supplier performance at least annually, using your delivery records as evidence.

Delivery Checks: What to Inspect and Record

Every delivery of chilled, frozen, or ambient food should be checked on arrival. For chilled goods, probe the temperature of at least one item per supplier (or use an infrared thermometer on packaging as a quick screen). Chilled food must be at or below 8C on arrival; best practice is to reject anything above 5C unless it will be used immediately. Frozen goods should be at -18C or below with no signs of thawing (ice crystals on packaging, soft texture, liquid in the box). Ambient goods should be in intact packaging, within date, and free from pest damage. Record the following for each delivery: date and time of delivery, supplier name, products received, temperature readings (for chilled and frozen), condition of packaging, any items rejected and the reason, and the name of the person who checked the delivery. Use a standardised delivery log sheet kept at your goods-in area. Staff should be trained to complete it as deliveries arrive, not retrospectively.

Supplier Approval and Ongoing Monitoring

HACCP requires that you only source food from approved suppliers who can demonstrate their own food safety controls. Supplier approval typically involves: checking that the supplier is registered with their local authority, requesting copies of their food safety certifications (BRC, SALSA, ISO 22000, or Red Tractor as applicable), reviewing their allergen management procedures, confirming they can provide full traceability information, and agreeing on delivery specifications (temperatures, packaging standards, labelling). Maintain a supplier approval register listing each approved supplier, the date they were approved, what evidence was reviewed, and the next review date. Review suppliers at least annually, or sooner if you experience repeated delivery issues. Keep records of any non-conformances - deliveries rejected, temperature exceedances, short-dated stock, missing allergen information. If a supplier consistently fails your checks, that is grounds for finding an alternative, and having the documented evidence makes the decision defensible.

Traceability Requirements

Under EC Regulation 178/2002 (retained in UK law as the General Food Regulations 2004), food business operators must be able to identify their immediate supplier and immediate customer for all food products ("one step back, one step forward" traceability). In practice, this means keeping delivery notes, invoices, and batch information for every food delivery. If there is a food safety incident or product recall, you must be able to identify within a reasonable time which products were affected, when they were received, and from whom. Most businesses achieve this by filing delivery notes chronologically and cross-referencing them with their delivery temperature logs. Digital systems can link delivery records to stock management, making traceability near-instant. Regardless of the method, you must be able to demonstrate traceability to an EHO or Trading Standards officer if asked. The penalty for failing to maintain adequate traceability records can be significant, and in the event of a food safety incident, inability to trace products can escalate a manageable situation into a serious one.

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Handling Delivery Rejections

Rejecting a delivery is not a failure of your system - it is your system working. Your HACCP plan should include clear rejection criteria: chilled food above 8C, frozen food showing thawing, damaged or open packaging, items past their use-by date, missing allergen labelling, and signs of pest contamination. When you reject a delivery, record: the date and time, the supplier, the specific items rejected, the reason for rejection, who made the decision, and how the supplier was notified. Keep a copy of any credit notes or returns documentation. If you notice a pattern of rejections from a particular supplier (three or more in a rolling quarter is a common trigger), raise it formally with the supplier and document the conversation. Persistent issues should trigger a supplier review. Some businesses also photograph rejected items as additional evidence. This is particularly useful for disputes with suppliers and demonstrates thoroughness to EHOs reviewing your records.

What to do next

Set up a goods-in checking station

Keep a delivery log sheet, calibrated probe thermometer, and rejection labels at your delivery point so checks happen immediately on arrival.

Build a supplier approval register

List all current food suppliers with their certifications, approval date, and next review date. Request updated certificates from any supplier whose documentation is more than 12 months old.

File delivery notes systematically

Create a filing system (paper or digital) for delivery notes organised by date. This makes traceability queries fast and straightforward.

Common mistakes to avoid

Mistake

Accepting deliveries without checking temperatures because the kitchen is busy

Instead

Delivery checks take under two minutes per supplier. If a delivery arrives during peak service, park it in the walk-in chiller and check within 15 minutes. Never sign for unchecked deliveries.

Mistake

Having no formal supplier approval process

Instead

An EHO will expect to see evidence that you have assessed your suppliers. Even a simple checklist confirming registration, certifications, and allergen capability is better than nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to temperature check every item in a delivery?

No. Check at least one representative item per product category per supplier. If a chilled delivery contains chicken, dairy, and prepared salads, probe one of each. If any is out of range, check the rest of that category. For frozen items, visual checks for thawing plus one temperature reading is usually sufficient.

What supplier certifications should I look for?

For UK food suppliers, relevant certifications include BRC Global Standard, SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval), Red Tractor, ISO 22000, and STS (Soil Association for organic). Not all suppliers will hold these, particularly smaller local suppliers. At minimum, confirm they are registered with their local authority as a food business.

How long should I keep delivery records?

Keep delivery temperature logs and delivery notes for at least 12 months, or longer for products with extended shelf lives. For traceability purposes, retaining records beyond the shelf life of the products received is good practice. Many businesses keep records for 2 years as standard.

Can I refuse to accept a delivery if the driver is late?

Lateness alone is not a food safety reason to reject a delivery, but if the delay has caused temperature abuse (chilled food above 8C), that is grounds for rejection. Record the scheduled and actual delivery time, the temperature on arrival, and your decision.

HACCP Monitoring & Records