Food hygiene rating scheme

The Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013 came into force on the 28 November 2013. The Act establishes a mandatory food hygiene rating scheme for Wales.

When a food business has been issued with a Food Hygiene Rating and an accompanying Sticker, it must be displayed in a conspicuous place at or near each entrance to the food premise. Failure to display a sticker under the mandatory scheme (for any ratings awarded after 27 November 2013) is an offence and carries a fixed £200 fine (reduced to £150 if paid within 14 days) and/or the possibility of prosecution.

The Act requires that you and your employees tell customers, if asked, the rating the business has received.  This applies during a face-to-face conversation as well as over the phone.

New food hygiene rating stickers will be issued each time your premises is inspected and rated.  The sticker will no longer be valid 21 days after the food business operator receives notification of a new rating or, when there has been a change in ownership of the business. Any previously issued food hygiene rating stickers must be removed and destroyed once no longer valid.  

How to appeal a food hygiene rating

If you think a hygiene rating is unjust you may contact the inspecting officer to discuss.  If after these discussions, you still feel the score is unjust, you may appeal in writing within 21 days using our dedicated appeals form. You will be notified of the appeal outcome within 21 days of the appeal being received. 

Requesting a re-rating

If you have addressed all the non-compliance's raised in the inspection report and can evidence these, then you can request a revisit for the purposes of re-rating.

This is a service where there is an associated fee or charge.

For information on our current fees and charges see our Environmental Health Fees and Charges page.

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.