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GDP (Good Distribution Practice)

Distribution quality expectations for food logistics, and where the binding rules actually sit.

logistics

  • StatusGuideline
  • Binding EU transport hygiene rules852/2004 Annex II
  • International carriage of perishablesATP

Overview

  • The term is borrowed

    Good distribution practice is a pharmaceutical term of art. In food it is used descriptively, and a supplier claiming GDP certification for food logistics should be asked which scheme actually issued it.

  • Where the obligations really are

    EU food hygiene law sets transport requirements for conveyances and containers, and general food law requires traceability one step back and one step forward. Those are the binding parts.

  • Auditable alternatives exist

    Where a buyer wants a certificate for storage and transport, the practical answers are the storage and distribution scheme of a recognised standard, or IFS Logistics.

Where it Applies

  • Third-party cold stores

    Ask which certificate covers the store as a site, since a processor certificate does not extend to it.

  • Road transport of frozen goods

    Equipment suitability, pre-cooling, temperature recording and handover evidence are the practical control points.

  • Cross-border perishable movement

    The ATP agreement governs equipment classification for international carriage of perishable foodstuffs between contracting parties.

How it Compares

Positioning against neighbouring schemes.

  • Versus a storage and distribution certificate

    A recognised storage and distribution standard is auditable and verifiable. A general GDP claim is not.

  • Versus a temperature record

    A record proves one journey. A certificate proves the system that produces records. Buyers should collect both.

FAQ

Can a carrier be GDP certified for food?

Not against a single recognised food GDP standard, because none exists. Ask for the specific scheme, issue and certificate number.

What should a frozen transport specification require?

Set point, pre-cooling, continuous recording with a defined interval, alarm handling, handover signatures and the retention period for data.

Who owns the temperature data?

Agree it in the contract. Disputes are usually lost by the party that cannot produce the record, not by the party that caused the deviation.

Sources & References

Evidence confidence: partial

Next step

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Vorezan publishes reference information for buyers and suppliers. We are not a certification body, a customs broker or a guarantor of any third party. Regulatory references point to the framework in force at the review date; verify the current consolidated text and your own obligations before relying on them commercially.

Last updated: August 22, 2026Sources & references

At a Glance

  • StatusGuideline
  • Binding EU transport hygiene rules852/2004 Annex II
  • International carriage of perishablesATP

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Sources

Official and industry sources we rely on.