In November 2013, Wales became the first UK nation to have a mandatory hygiene ratings for food outlets, restaurants and takeaways. They called it 'scores on doors'. Two years later, they call it a success.
The inspection ratings has allowed the firms to get five-star ratings, with around 61% of the total number of firms getting such rating. It was 45% nearly two years ago. Furthermore, nearly 26,000 food businesses have been included in the ratings. This is an increase of around 4,000 since the mandatory system was launched.
'The introduction of a statutory food hygiene rating scheme has been a big success story for Wales, helping to drive up standards in restaurants, pubs, cafes and other food business right across the country. The mandatory display of the rating sticker has provided important information for consumers when deciding where to eat out or buy food. This has, in turn, played a big role in encouraging businesses to improve their food hygiene standards, Vaughan Gething, Deputy Health Minister, said.
Furthermore, 'the scheme allows consumers to know what's going on behind the kitchen doors of a food business and then make a choice about whether to eat there or not. I'd urge everybody to make use of the scheme by keeping an eye out for the stickers in the windows and checking online before you book,' Nina Purcell, Director, Food Standards Agency in Wales, said.
It indeed has a positive impact in the city.
'Food-related businesses recognise that mandatory display of their hygiene rating will give the public an opportunity to decide whether they want to eat at their business. Our own Environmental Health Officers have also seen improvements during inspections,' a Swansea council spokesman said.
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