In the world of culinary, where the allure of exotic spices and mouthwatering ingredients lies the fundamental pillar of food safety and hygiene. Behind every Michelin-star restaurant and global fast food restaurant lies a commitment to adhering to strict regulations and standards, ensuring consumer well-being. Examining food hygiene data is pivotal to offering an insight into the safety protocols practised by each food establishment.
Ratcliffe Cleaning Contractors and our digital pr agency have analysed food hygiene ratings from local authorities in the UK. This allowed us to identify the best and worst areas for food hygiene ratings.
Top 10 Areas with The Best Food Hygiene Rating Percentages
| Area | County | Rating of 5%/Pass |
| North Lanarkshire | Scotland | 94.0% |
| East Lothian | Scotland | 93.7% |
| South Ayrshire | Scotland | 92.9% |
| Wrexham | Wales | 91.9% |
| Thanet | Kent | 91.7% |
| Angus | Scotland | 87.7% |
| Forset of Dean | Gloucestershire | 87.7% |
| Bassetlaw | Nottinghamshire | 87.6% |
| South Derbyshire | Derbyshire | 87.4% |
| Ipswich | Suffolk | 87.4% |
Top 10 Areas with The Lowest Food Hygiene Rating Percentage
| Area | Local Authority | Rating of 1-4%/Fail |
| Lewisham | London | 62.1% |
| Blaenau Gwent | Wales | 62.1% |
| Walsall | West Midlands | 59.5% |
| Wigan | Greater Manchester | 55.9% |
| Hackney | London | 55.5% |
| Dudley | West Midlands | 55.3% |
| Waltham Forest | Essex | 55% |
| Highland | Scotland | 54% |
| Redditch | Worcestershire | 53.8% |
| Lambeth | London | 53.6% |
Why Does it Matter?
The significance of scrutinising food and hygiene ratings cannot be overstated. It is about safeguarding consumers against potential health hazards lurking in their meals. In a world where foodborne illnesses pose a significant threat, these ratings function as a shield, empowering consumers with information crucial for making informed choices about where and what to eat.
Reviewing insights provides a comprehensive overview of an establishment’s compliance with regulatory standards, ranging from cleanliness and food handling practices to staff hygiene and infrastructure maintenance. By analysing this data, regulators and consumers gain a clear picture of where improvements are needed and where awards are deserved.
A Call to Action
In an era where the food landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, it’s imperative to prioritise food safety and hygiene. In such instances, the implementation of commercial kitchen cleaning services become imperative. These services play a pivotal role in maintaining cleanliness, preventing contamination, and upholding hygiene protocols. Therefore, our analysis not only highlights areas with exemplary hygiene standards but also underscores the importance of proactive measures, such as commercial kitchen cleaning services, in areas where ratings fall below par.
Methodology
Hygiene ratings data were sourced from the UK Food Standards Agency’s open data portal, where we were able to find foot hygiene ratings for all establishments in each UK local authority.
We then filtered out establishments with a food hygiene rating of 5 and calculated this as a percentage of the total number of rated establishments.
For Scotland’s ratings, we treated a ‘Pass’ as equivalent to a 5-star rating, with any other rating counted as a ‘1-4’ rating.