A webinar unpacking changes to the Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme (HARPS) is now available online for producers to access at your convenience.
The HARPS 2.0 Technical Webinar was held on 31 March, answering frequently asked questions raised since the launch of the new standard and focussing on changes to the HARPS Scheme Rules. The session was recorded for those unable to attend and can be accessed here.
About HARPS
In 2012 Horticulture Australia Ltd (now Horticulture Innovation Australia – HIA) initiated a project to harmonise the food safety certification requirements for the major retailers in Australia. The result of this project is the Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme (HARPS).
The initial HARPS project was funded by HIA using across-industry levies and funds from the Australian Government. The scheme is voluntary and application for certification is open to all fresh produce businesses that supply the major grocery retailers.
The following major grocery retailers and foodservice providers are members of the HARPS Retailer Committee: ALDI, Coles Supermarkets, Costco, Hello Fresh, McDonald’s Australia*, Metcash (IGA) and Woolworths.
*While McDonald’s Australia are members of the HARPS Retailer committee, they are not yet accepting HARPS audits for their suppliers.
HARPS has resulted in the alignment of major grocery retailers and foodservice providers in Australia accepting a suite of GFSI benchmarked programs so that suppliers to these businesses are able to complete a single audit that will satisfy their customers rather than multiple audits against multiple programs.
All participating members are working collaboratively to identify and develop a harmonised scheme that will help reduce audit complexity for businesses that supply more than one HARPS participating retailer or food service provider.
