Is IFS Food Version 8 still the version in force in 2026–2027?
Yes. IFS Food Version 8 is the applicable version, and IFS did not publish a new version of the standard in 2026: it updated the doctrine instead. The official IFS pages read on 5 November 2026 announce no Version 9.
The IFS announcement of 23 April 2026 explains the choice. The doctrines of IFS Food 8, IFS Logistics 3, IFS Broker 3.2 and IFS PACsecure 3 were updated to comply with the 2024 GFSI benchmarking requirements and to prepare IFS’s application for recognition. During that recognition process, the doctrines will be treated as normative documents that supplement the standards, so publishing new versions of the standards is not required. IFS presents this as a way to reduce the administrative burden and keep certification continuous.
On the GFSI side, the official page of recognised certification programme owners, read on 5 November 2026, lists IFS Food v 8 among the programmes recognised against the 2020 version of the benchmarking requirements. IFS does not yet appear in the section for the 2024 version. For an exporter in Morocco or elsewhere in Africa, nothing changes today: a buyer who accepts a GFSI-recognised standard accepts IFS Food Version 8.
What this means for a project launched in 2027: prepare for IFS Food Version 8 with its current doctrine, and keep an eye on IFS publications. Our guide to IFS Food certification in Morocco details the scope, the scoring and the steps.
What changed between Version 7 and Version 8?
Version 8 mainly changed the scoring, the visibility of unannounced audits and the food safety culture requirements. The IFS launch newsletter, published in April 2023, lists the most significant changes.
Version 8 change | What IFS says | Effect for a Moroccan site |
|---|---|---|
B score | Again classified as a deviation | Every B calls for a correction and a corrective action in the action plan |
IFS Star status | Introduced to show that the audit was unannounced | Visible in the IFS Database and on the certificate: an argument with buyers |
Geographical indications | EU PDO or PGI can appear on the certificate, with a disclaimer | Useful only for a product registered under an EU scheme |
Food safety culture | Objectives to be defined for each of the four dimensions | Communication, training, employee feedback and performance measurement, under requirement 1.1.1 |
Administrative burden | Reporting time, number of doctrine rules and administrative requirements significantly reduced | Fewer formalities, with no lowering of the substantive requirements |
Checklist | Restructured to follow the audit process; food defence moves to chapter 4 | Internal procedures should follow the new numbering |
Alignment | Codex Alimentarius, ISO 22003-2 and GFSI benchmarking requirements | The word “assessment” becomes “audit” again |
Wording | More consistent, clearer wording of the intention of requirements | Re-read the reworded requirements, not only the new ones |
IFS also cites further optimisations: triple certification is no longer possible, sites with simple processes can have a shorter on-site part and audit time, and the counting of the “one unannounced audit in every three” rule has been clarified. Scoring is described in the official IFS scoring brochure, version 2.4 of November 2024.
How did the move from Version 7 to Version 8 unfold?
In three stages, between April 2023 and December 2024. The timeline below follows the launch newsletter, the IFS announcement of 2 January 2024 and the IFS Food 8 doctrine.
Date | Step | Source |
|---|---|---|
April 2023 | IFS Food Version 8 published | Launch newsletter; official text dated April 2023 |
1 October 2023 | Version 8 audits possible; an unannounced audit whose window opens on or after that date is performed under Version 8 | Newsletter, doctrine |
31 December 2023 | General end of Version 7 applicability | IFS announcement of 2 January 2024 |
1 January 2024 | Version 8 mandatory for all certified companies | IFS announcement of 2 January 2024, newsletter |
31 December 2024 | End of the exceptions that still allowed Version 7 | Newsletter, doctrine |
23 April 2026 | IFS Food 8 doctrine, version 5 | IFS announcement |
The 2024 exceptions covered three cases: a multi-location group whose head office audit had started before 1 October 2023, and a follow-up audit or an extension audit linked to a main audit carried out under Version 7. All are now closed. A site that has never been certified undergoes a “first” initial audit, entirely under Version 8.
What does doctrine version 5, published in April 2026, change?
It clarifies; it does not rewrite. The IFS Food 8 doctrine, version 5, dated April 2026 and so far available in English only, flags each change in its content overview. These are the points that directly affect a certified site:
Topic | What doctrine version 5 says | Action for the site |
|---|---|---|
Requirement 1.2.6 (erratum and clarification) | The certification body is informed of any change that may affect conformity, at a minimum a change of legal entity name or of site location; within three working days for a product recall, a recall or withdrawal decided by the authorities for food safety or food fraud reasons, or an authority visit resulting in mandatory action | Build these cases and this deadline into the incident management procedure |
Exceptional circumstances | Pandemic, political conflict, natural disaster or other: the site can keep its certificate visible and notify retailers; the certification body assesses the impact on validity | Know whom to contact before a crisis, not during it |
Food safety culture | Clarified definition: demonstrable commitment, leadership, awareness, open communication (deviations included) and sufficient resources | Check that the culture plan covers these five elements |
Cancelled audit (updated) | An audit stopped before the checklist is completed is cancelled: certificate withdrawn within two working days, new initial audit no earlier than six weeks later | Never interrupt an audit in progress |
New COID | The site’s IFS identification number is recreated when the address changes and, in specific circumstances, when the legal entity changes | Plan ahead for a move or a restructuring |
The doctrine sets a general rule of application: new or adapted rules apply two months after publication of the relevant version, unless otherwise specified. As doctrine version 5 is dated April 2026, its new or adapted rules have therefore applied since June 2026, unless a specific rule states otherwise.
What should certified and candidate sites in Morocco do in 2027?
Update a few procedures, not rebuild the system. The 2026 changes mainly concern incident management, food safety culture and the conduct of audits.
For a site preparing its first audit, our how-to on IFS Food audit preparation turns these points into a full checklist.