FSA urges businesses to show hygiene ratings online

Campaign calls on businesses to show their hygiene rating online

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a campaign urging food businesses to display their hygiene ratings online.

The campaign comes after research showed that most food businesses don't share their hygiene ratings online, despite being active on social media and online ordering platforms.

Many consumers prefer to see food hygiene ratings clearly displayed before placing an order. The research indicates that businesses with good hygiene ratings attract more customers and benefit from sharing their ratings.

Despite the UK's high food hygiene standards, only 10% of businesses across Northern Ireland, England and Wales display their ratings online. This is a missed opportunity for businesses to show customers how seriously they take hygiene.

All food businesses in Northern Ireland, England, and Wales are inspected and rated, but sharing these ratings online is voluntary and often overlooked. While it's not required by law, the FSA strongly encourages businesses to display their hygiene ratings online to build customer trust and attract more orders.

To assist with this, the FSA has released updated guidance and free resources, including downloadable images and simple instructions for sharing ratings on websites and social media.

First published 24 September 2024