Cotswold District Council - Food hygiene rating scheme for businesses

Food hygiene rating scheme for businesses

The food hygiene rating scheme is a national initiative, run by the Food Standards Agency.

Businesses included in the food hygiene rating scheme

The scheme is aimed at establishments which supply food directly to consumers. Exempt businesses include:

• Those who do not supply food directly to the public eg manufacturers, packers, distributors and wholesalers.
• Newsagents, chemists and gift shops that sell packaged biscuits and sweets alongside other goods.
• Certain establishments operating from private addresses eg childminders and other caring services. However these can opt into the scheme for commercial purposes if they wish. The details of these premises will be treated as sensitive and home details are not published on the website. Home caterers are included.

Food hygiene inspections

The Food Standards Agency sets out how food hygiene inspections are done based on the:

• Food Law code of practice

The system assesses:

• compliance with food hygiene and safety procedures
• compliance with structural requirements
• confidence in the management and control procedures

Food hygiene rating system

The ratings are as follows:

• 5 - Very good
• 4 - Good
• 3 - Generally satisfactory
• 2 - Improvement necessary
• 1 - Major improvement necessary
• 0 - Urgent improvement necessary

Displaying your rating is voluntary.

Improving your food hygiene rating

To download Food Standards Agency pack that can help you meet the relevant legislation please:

• Visit Safer Food Better Business(opens in a new window)
• Hard copies are no longer available.

Change your food hygiene rating

Ratings are based on an inspection by a qualified food safety officer and will only be changed in exceptional circumstances. If you are unhappy with your rating you can either, appeal your food hygiene rating or request a revisit (there is a fee of £160 for a revisit which must have been paid when you submit your revisit request form):

*please make a note of your payment reference as you will need this to complete your revisit request form

You can also add a message commenting on your rating or flag up any improvement work you have done since your last inspection, this is your 'right to reply':

For further information about the procedures for appeal, right to reply and request a revisit, please:

• see The Food Standards Agency's Safeguards for Food Businesses guide