Aldi supplier audit in Australia:
what to prepare
Aldi publishes less about supplier audits than Coles or Woolworths. Here’s what is public, what isn’t, and the evidence to have ready either way.
Aldi Australia doesn’t publish a named food safety audit standard for suppliers. Requirements are set with your buyer during the tender, so ask them which certification and version they accept. Fresh produce suppliers use HARPS on top of a base scheme. Every supplier is bound by Aldi’s Business Partner Sustainability Standards and published supplier policies.
What Aldi publishes, and what it doesn’t
Aldi’s Australian supplier pages are specific about testing, labelling and conduct. They’re silent on audit schemes.
| Aldi document or step | What it covers | Why it matters at audit time |
|---|---|---|
| Online supplier application | Company, product, pricing, market data, product quality specifications, display and logistics | Your specifications become the yardstick your product is checked against |
| Fresh Produce Surveillance Testing Policy | Testing of fresh produce supplied to Aldi | Your own residue and quality test results need to stand up next to Aldi’s |
| Master Artwork Guidelines | Design and labelling of Aldi packaging | Label approval records and allergen declarations must match current recipes |
| Business Partner Sustainability Standards (3rd edition, Dec 2023) | Human rights, labour, environment; applies to all partners and cascades down your supply chain | You must report confirmed or suspected non-compliance to Aldi yourself |
| Code of Conduct, C3 Supplier and Carrier Guide, Chain of Responsibility Policy | Conduct, delivery and transport safety | Delivery and dispatch records support traceability |
| Not published | Required food safety certification, audit frequency, announced or unannounced audits | Get these from your buyer in writing before you plan |
Sources: Aldi Supplier Information, Become an Aldi Supplier, ALDI SOUTH Group Business Partner Sustainability Standards. Checked September 2026; Aldi notes these pages are updated regularly.
Eight questions to ask your Aldi buyer
Where public detail runs out, your buyer is the source. Ask early and keep the answers in writing.
About food safety
- Which certification do you accept for my category: SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000 or another?
- Which edition or version? SQF Edition 10 audits are expected from 1 January 2027.
- Is there an Aldi-specific module or checklist on top?
- How often will I be audited, and can audits be unannounced?
About everything else
- Which social audit or platform do you need: Sedex, amfori BSCI or another?
- What product testing do you expect, and how often?
- Who approves my artwork, and what evidence do you keep?
- What must I report to you, and how fast, if something goes wrong?
Supplying fresh produce to Aldi? It’s HARPS
Here the requirements are public. Aldi is one of five retailers behind HARPS, with Coles, Woolworths, Costco and Metcash.
Base scheme plus HARPS
HARPS Version 2.0 sits on top of a GFSI-benchmarked base such as Freshcare, GLOBALG.A.P., SQF or BRCGS. GLOBALG.A.P. Option 2 needs the retailer’s prior approval.
Residue testing trips people up
Element 12.2, chemical residue testing against the MRLs in the Food Standards Code, was the second most common corrective action request in FY24.
Unannounced is possible
A retailer can request an unannounced HARPS audit with strong justification. Keep records current, not just audit-week current.
Common 12.2 gaps: tests not done before the audit, assuming a standard screen covers every chemical you applied, and no time left to review results. Sources: HARPS newsletter, June 2026; HARPS Version 2.0 scheme rules, September 2025.
The evidence to have ready for an Aldi audit
These records sit under every GFSI scheme, so they’re worth getting right before Aldi’s answer arrives.
| What an auditor will ask | Evidence to have ready | Aldi-specific angle |
|---|---|---|
| Show me the product matches the spec | Signed specifications, release checks, test results | The quality specifications you submitted in your application |
| Show me the label is right | Label approvals, allergen matrix, recipe version control | Artwork approved under the Master Artwork Guidelines |
| Show me your CCPs are in control | HACCP plan, CCP records, deviations linked to corrective actions | Expect Aldi lines to be picked for sampling |
| Show me your suppliers are approved | Approved supplier list, current certificates, expiry tracking | Sustainability standards cascade to your own suppliers too |
| Trace this batch | Batch and lot records, a recent timed trace test, recall plan | Keep delivery and dispatch records with each batch |
| Show me the last findings were fixed | CAPA register with root cause, owner, due date and evidence | Social audit findings too, if your buyer asks for a social audit |
From tender to audit-ready
A planning guide. A first GFSI certification takes longer than this.
Read the published policies
Go through Aldi’s Supplier Information and Business Partner Sustainability Standards. Write specifications you can actually prove.
Submit, then ask
Allow 14 days for a response. Use first contact to ask the eight questions above.
Gap-check against the answer
Compare your system to the scheme and version your buyer named. List every record you can’t produce today.
Fix records and test
Chase certificates, close corrective actions, and book product or residue testing early enough to review results.
Mock audit on an Aldi line
Trace a batch, pull its label approval and specification, and time it.
Stay ready
With no published audit policy, assume you could be asked for anything, any day.
Ready for whatever Aldi asks for
When the requirements aren’t public, being able to find any record fast is your best preparation.
Aldi next to your chosen scheme
Retailer audit program tracking includes Aldi. Scheme clause tracking covers SQF, BRCGS and FSSC 22000, whichever your buyer names.
Traceability and recall readiness
Batch and lot records in one place, so a trace test on an Aldi line takes minutes.
Supplier certificates with alerts
A certificate vault with expiry alerts and approved supplier records.
Evidence in about a minute
HACCP, all 18 PRP templates and corrective actions feed one audit pack, exported in a click and organised by requirement.
See how the audit pack works or how EthicalHub works. Choosing a scheme? Start with the certification ladder.
Free: 59-point Retailer Audit Readiness Checklist (PDF + Excel)
A scheme-neutral gap-check you can run while you wait for your buyer’s answer.
Related guides
Aldi supplier audits: common questions
What certification do I need to supply Aldi in Australia?
Does Aldi have its own supplier audit standard in Australia?
Are Aldi supplier audits unannounced?
How do I become an Aldi supplier in Australia?
Does Aldi require Sedex or amfori BSCI?
Be ready before Aldi asks.
Keep every record in one place, so any request is a one-minute answer.