10 years since hygiene rating started in Newtown

It’s 10 years since Wales led the way as the first country in the UK to make the display of food hygiene ratings a legal requirement. 

Since November 2013, businesses in Wales have been required by law to display their food hygiene rating sticker in a prominent place – such as the front door, entrance or window.

Powys County Council said the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme has “delivered lasting benefits to consumers and businesses and is rightly celebrated as one of the country’s most significant public health achievements of the 21st century”.

A decade on, the scheme has driven up standards in food businesses in Powys with over 1,648 businesses displaying a rating of 5 and 2,157 with a rating of 3 or above.

Cllr Richard Church, Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys, said: “The stickers featured on businesses throughout the county are a simple, effective and transparent way for restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and even websites, to give their customers reassurance that their business is safe and are taking the standards seriously.

“The scheme gives confidence to customers and ensures that all businesses within the county are working safely, and that food is being prepared and served in a clean and hygienic way.”

The council added that the scheme empowers people to make informed choices about where they buy and eat food every day, and the mandatory display of ratings also encourages food businesses to improve their hygiene standards.

Ask about the Food Hygiene Rating, look for the sticker, or check online before purchasing food: ratings.food.gov.uk