BS ISO 23412:2020

What is ISO 23412 about?  

ISO 23412 discusses indirect temperature-controlled refrigerated delivery services. ISO 23412 specifies requirements for the provision and operation of indirect, temperature-controlled refrigerated delivery services for refrigerated parcels which contain temperature-sensitive goods (including foods) in land transportation. 

ISO 23412 includes all refrigerated delivery service stages from acceptance (receipt) of a chilled or frozen parcel from the delivery service used to its delivery at the designated destination, including intermediate transfer of the refrigerated parcels between refrigerated vehicles or containers and via a geographical routing system. ISO 23412 also includes requirements for resources, operations and communications to delivery service users. It is intended for application by refrigerated delivery service providers. 

Note: ISO 23412 does not cover requirements for: 

• Refrigerated parcel delivery via modes of transport such as aeroplane, ship or train; 
• Refrigerated parcels that are transported in ambient temperatures due to the fact that they contain their own refrigeration materials (for example, ice packs, refrigerated foam bricks, dry ice blocks) and are surrounded and enclosed by sealed thermo protective packaging that creates a separate refrigerated climate to that provided within the delivery service. However, these types of refrigerated parcels may be transported through a refrigerated delivery service; 
• Direct refrigerated delivery services in which chilled parcels and frozen parcels are collected from the delivery service user and transported directly to a recipient without in-transit transfer; 
• The quality or the measurement of the temperature of the contents of the chilled parcels or frozen parcels being delivered and their pre-point of receipt state, however, ISO 23412 does set the requirements for the refrigerated delivery service carrying them; 
• Medical devices and medical equipment and pharmaceuticals might be subject to specific legislation and require specific transport requirements and are, therefore, excluded from the scope of ISO 23412. 

Who is ISO 23412 for? 

ISO 23412 on indirect temperature-controlled refrigerated delivery services is useful for: 

• Distribution and logistics services 
• Delivery service providers 
• Businesses such as supermarkets, grocery stores, ice cream stores  
• Businesses such as meat, poultry, and fisheries 

Why should you use ISO 23412?  

There is an expectation for further growth of refrigerated delivery services across countries. Therefore, there is a recognized need for refrigerated delivery services to develop industry standards and good practices in this area. However, because of the temperature sensitivity of the transported goods and the specific rules for food safety, there is a need to recognize a lack in existing food safety or refrigerated transport standards to cover the specificities of this new activity. 

ISO 23412 sets out requirements for you in order to improve the quality and consistency of your refrigerated delivery services. ISO 23412 aims to be a guideline for you to support consumer safety through total control of the cold chain while the refrigerated parcel is in your possession. ISO 23412 helps you to make a more informed choice when selecting a temperature-controlled refrigerated delivery service and could improve overall consumer trust in using such refrigerated delivery services.