London is worst region for food hygiene, report finds

A new report has found that London is the worst place for food hygiene in the UK, with an average rating of 4.36 out of five.

The High Speed ​​Training report assessed information from 215,000 food businesses across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

As well as finding that London, with its 35,833 outlets, was the worst of all regions, it also found that the West Midlands was near the bottom of the table, with 4.42, but the East Midlands fared better in the table, being third best in the country, with 4.62.

Wales also came in near the bottom of the table, with the third worst performance across the UK, with an average rating of 4.45. The North West was marginally better, with 4.46, before a small jump to middling performances in Yorkshire and the Humber (4.57) and the South East (4.61).

In terms of best performing areas, the South West came out on top with 4.66 and Northern Ireland with 4.64.

Robust

Dr Richard Anderson, head of learning and development at High Speed ​​Training, said food safety and “robust” hygiene practices were of “paramount importance to food businesses”.

He said: “Recently, we have seen many high-profile cases of food poisoning and illnesses caused by foodborne bacteria.

“This is why food hygiene ratings are so important – they are a direct reflection of how safe and hygienic an establishment is operating and are of critical importance to consumers.

“For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. However, businesses with a low hygiene rating can be extremely off-putting to customers, which ultimately has a significant impact on reputation and profitability.

“Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK and have improved since 2023. This commitment to correct food hygiene training for staff, coupled with robust food management procedures and good daily practices are crucial to maintaining performance at high standards.”