IFS Certification has reported a 6% increase in audits across its standards in 2025 and confirmed that four retail and wholesale groups joined its database in 2026, as the organisation expands its international network and digital services.

The figures were released on 15 October following the IFS certification body conference in Berlin, held on 14–15 October. More than 30,300 audits were completed in 2025. IFS Food audits increased 6.2%, while IFS Logistics rose 8.3% and IFS HPC grew 13.1%.

The development matters for food manufacturers and supermarket buying teams that use independent audits to assess supplier quality, food safety and traceability. Certification does not replace a retailer’s own approval procedures, but it can help standardise the evidence that purchasing and technical teams review.

IFS named Co-op in the UK, Rema 1000 in Norway, Grupo Mateus in Brazil and Copec in Chile as organisations that joined the IFS Database during 2026. The announcement did not say the companies had adopted the same requirements for every supplier.

The international picture is especially relevant for food exporters supplying European supermarkets. In Britain, manufacturers need to understand how IFS differs from other recognised audit schemes, including those covered in GTN’s guide to food certifications for UK supermarkets.

For Central and Eastern European exporters, the position also varies by buyer and destination market. GTN’s country guides explain the role of IFS and competing standards for food safety certification in Romania and food safety certification in Poland.

IFS said it expects to work with 90 certification bodies and more than 1,500 auditors by the end of 2026. Its plans include extending activity in Central and Eastern Europe, the Nordic countries and Latin America.

Technology was another focus of the Berlin conference. IFS is developing mobile reporting for its auditXpress Neo system, improving its auditor portal and working on better connectivity to the IFS Database. These changes could reduce administration for certification bodies and improve the transfer of audit information, although their impact will depend on how they are introduced.

An IFS Food Exam Masterclass is scheduled for November 2026 through the organisation’s EPIC training platform. IFS is also developing a Consumer Goods Standard for non-food manufacturers, targeting the first half of 2027. That project could be relevant to supermarket private label teams handling categories beyond food.

IFS is developing further supply-chain assessment services connected to packaging, deforestation and sustainability requirements. Buyers will still need to check which requirements apply to each product and market, rather than treating certification as a blanket guarantee of regulatory compliance.

The next IFS certification body conference is scheduled for 7–8 October 2027, alongside activities marking the organisation’s 25th anniversary.