Many food businesses displaying false food hygiene ratings BBC investigation finds
An investigation by the BBC has found businesses have been displaying inaccurate food hygiene ratings, with many lying about them when challenged.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has since said it will raise the findings of the investigation with local authorities, while the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has called for the display of food hygiene ratings in England to be mandated.
The BBC used secret recordings at premises in east London ranging from small local restaurants to a branch of the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s, and found they were misleading customers with inaccurate Food Standards Agency (FSA) ratings.
Confronted with the evidence, some businesses did not respond at all while others denied any deliberate deception, it said.
The London Borough of Waltham Forest has a serious food hygiene problem, and the BBC said its results showed it with the highest percentage of establishments in England and Wales rated low on the food hygiene scale of five stars.
The FSA's hygiene ratings are designed to provide customers with information about the cleanliness and safety practices of food outlets.
Low scores can indicate issues such as poor cleaning practices, inadequate temperature control of food or pest infestations.
Sainsbury's told the BBC that 95% of its stores had a rating of five stars and that the branch in question in Leyton had had an outdated stars sticker removed and it was ”continuing to make improvements at the store”,which now had a three star rating.
Jon Payne, a food safety lawyer who analysed the BBC's evidence, said businesses that lied when asked about their food ratings were potentially committing fraud.
Waltham Forest told the BBC it takes food hygiene seriously and closed about 50 businesses each year for poor standards.
The FSA said displaying incorrect ratings was potentially illegal, and its latest audit showed 91% of English businesses displayed the correct ratings.
It called for mandatory displays of the star ratings as happens in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Chris Elliott, Vice President at CIEH, warned that the investigation raises questions regarding the effectiveness of England’s current system. He said: "With more than four in five businesses in England supporting the introduction of mandatory display of FHRS, there is no need for further deliberation. The new Government must act now to introduce this long-awaited ask and align the UK’s statutory food hygiene standards."
Waltham Forest was invited to comment further.
Mark Smulian
