Food hygiene ratings for businesses
The Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013 and associated regulations came into force on the 28 November 2013. The Act establishes a mandatory food hygiene rating scheme for Wales.
When you have been issued with a Food Hygiene Rating Sticker(s), it must be displayed in a conspicuous place at or near each entrance to your food business. Failure to display a sticker under the mandatory scheme (inspections carried out after 27 November 2013) is an offence and carries a fixed £200 fine (reduced to £150 if paid within 14 days) and/or prosecution.
Under the new legislation certificates are no longer provided.
Under the Act you and your employees must also tell customers, if asked, the rating the business has received. This applies in a face-to-face situation as well as over the phone.
New food hygiene rating stickers will be issued each time your premises is inspected/rated. You must remove your food hygiene rating sticker from display, and destroy it, once it is no longer valid. The sticker will no longer be valid 21 days following notification of a new rating or when there has been a change in ownership of the business.
Publication of rating before the appeal period is ended
Business owners or managers can request that a rating is published before the end of the appeal period. This request must be made in writing using the form in the link below. You must include: details of who you are; the name and address of the business; your contact information; the date of the inspection; and the rating given. This request will then be reviewed and the rating will be published early. This does not waive the businesses’ right to appeal.
What if I think the rating is wrong
If you think the hygiene rating is unjust you may contact the inspecting officer to discuss. If following discussions, you still feel the score is unjust, you may appeal in writing within 21 days using our appeals form. You will be notified of the appeal outcome within 21 days of receipt.
Appeals form (PDF)
Requesting a re-visit
If you have addressed all the non-compliances raised in the inspection report and can evidence these, then you can request a revisit for the purposes of re-rating.
Request a revisit form (PDF)
The charge for a re-rating visit is £180, which must be paid on application either by calling 01443 866570 or by card or by cash/card payment at the one of our cash offices. Please quote payment code 2108 T357
This charge is being applied uniformly across Wales and includes the cost of the inspection and associated administration costs . The re-rating visit will be carried out within 3 months of receipt of payment and you will be notified in writing of the rating.
You also have a right to reply following your inspection which will be published on the Food Standards Agency website along with your score. Any comments should be submitted in writing by using the right to reply form. These comments will be screened by an appropriate officer prior to being published on the website.
Right to reply form (PDF)