From today takeaway businesses in Wales will have to promote food hygiene rating on leaflets

Takeaway businesses in Wales will be required from today to promote their food hygiene ratings on their leaflets.

The new rule, which has been introduced by the Welsh government, comes into force on the third anniversary of the start of the statutory food hygiene rating scheme in Wales.

The ‘halfway house’ measure stops short of forcing businesses to show their current food hygiene rating on takeaway menu’s opting instead to give them the choice of adding their rating to leaflets and menu which advertise food for consumption at home.

Takeaway menu’s must however have a bilingual statement encouraging customers to check the food hygiene rating of the business on the food hygiene ratings website.

The statement will also remind customers that they have a legal right to ask the food business for their food hygiene rating when they order over the phone.

The Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013 made it compulsory for all food businesses – such as restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways, hotels and supermarkets – to publicly display their food hygiene rating at their premises.

The scheme has proven extremely successful in driving up hygiene standards. Latest figures show that over 94% of food businesses in Wales now have a generally satisfactory rating or higher (3 or above), with 62.5% of Welsh food businesses having the highest 5 rating (Very Good).

In comparison, just prior to the legislation coming into force in November 2013, 87% of Welsh food businesses had a rating of 3 or above and the number of businesses with a 5 rating was 45%.

Minister for Social Services and Public Health, Rebecca Evans, said:

“The food hygiene scheme has been one of the great success stories of made-in-Wales legislation. It has been key to driving up standards in restaurants, pubs, cafes and other food businesses across Wales.

“I am delighted that since the start of the scheme, 7% more food businesses now have a satisfactory rating or higher, and 17.5% more businesses now boast the maximum 5 rating. This progress is something everybody involved in the scheme, including food businesses, should be very proud of.

“The new rules coming into force today are designed to offer extra protection to customers ordering food over the phone, or online, who will not have the opportunity to see the rating physically displayed in the premises before ordering. The display of the statement on leaflets will encourage consumers to view the rating online and to ask the takeaway food business for their food hygiene rating over the phone before ordering.”