The City of London Corporation’s Trading Standards team is encouraging consumers to make informed choices about where they eat out or shop for take-away food in the Square Mile.

The team is aiming to ensure that any food outlets which are displaying their Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) rating are doing so accurately.

All restaurants, cafés, takeaways, pubs, hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts are subject to inspections by Environmental Health Officers where they are given a hygiene rating that customers can find by looking on the Food Standards Agency website.

As part of a new crack down, Trading Standards will be visiting a number of food outlets to establish if they are displaying their correct rating.

While displaying ratings is not currently mandatory in England, if a premise advertises a food hygiene rating that is better than it actually is, it is classed as a misleading action under unfair trading legislation.

There are over 1700 food premises located in the City of London.

Steve Playle, Trading Standards manager, said:

“We want people to be able to go out and be confident that their food is being prepared safely so therefore over the next few weeks we will be visiting food outlets to make sure that they are clearly displaying their correct ratings.

“Food hygiene is a matter that affects us all and it is vital the premises in the Square Mile take this issue seriously.

“If anyone comes across an establishment that is displaying an incorrect rating, please let us know by calling 03454 04 05 06, he added”.

The FHRS solely relates to food hygiene, ensuring that the food that is being served in these premises is safe to consume.

Key factors include food preparation, cleanliness of the premises and management and staff awareness about food safety.

Premises are given a rating, with zero being the lowest and five the highest.

The rating is then sent to the Food Standards Agency to be loaded onto their website where consumers can research the rating of a premises beforehand. 

Food outlets can display their Food Hygiene Rating in the form of a sticker, on their website or on menus and literature of the food outlet.

As of May 2018, almost three quarters of the City of London’s food premises were rated at a five – or very good.

Notes to Editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk