New national food standards scheme launched

A new national food hygiene rating scheme for all food establishments, including pubs, has been launched across Britain.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched the new scores on the doors rating scheme, the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, designed to standardise the system and replace other food hygiene rating systems already in place.

But pubs will not be required by law to display the bright green and black food hygiene stickers showing a rating from zero to five on their window.

The ratings will be decided following inspections by local council food safety officers. The hygiene standards are rated on a scale ranging from zero at the bottom (which means 'urgent improvement necessary') to a top rating of five ('very good').

In a recent survey undertaken by the FSA, it was discovered that at least a fifth of people questioned said that they had, when eating out, sent food back for hygiene-related reasons, with almost one in three doing so for undercooked meat.

Jeff Rooker, chair of the FSA, said: "In developing this scheme, we wanted to give people the ability to judge for themselves whether they considered the hygiene standards of a food outlet to be good enough. If customers are looking for a hygiene rating, this will drive businesses to improve their standards."

A spokesman for the British Hospitality Association (BHA), however, raised concerns over "a number of aspects of the scheme, notably the public understanding of what the five ratings mean".

Praising the removal of a star-rating system, he commented: "We also welcome the fact that a growing number of councils will now adopt the scheme, which will avoid the proliferation of separate schemes introduced by local authorities." But he stressed "Scotland will continue to operate its own three tier scheme, which the BHA considers is simpler and clearer."

Ratings will be available for anyone to view at food.gov.uk/ratings​