Hygiene scores listing law ‘within two years'

A law compelling restaurants, hotels and other catering businesses to publish the results of their food hygiene inspections looks set to be introduced in the next two years.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Advisory Body for Social Services Caterers, Suzi Leather, deputy chairman of the Food Standards Agency, said the move was a "real aspiration" of the agency.

Leather told the conference that publishing hygiene scores would create "a huge incentive for businesses to raise standards" and would be "a very good way of upping the game".

In the USA, restaurants have to publish the results of their food hygiene and health and safety audits alongside menus.

Food hygiene expert Geoff Ward, told delegates he expected the measure to be introduced within two years.

Ward, managing director of Hygiene Monitoring Services, said news of the legislation was "worrying". He added: "I don't want to see an extra burden on the catering industry as we are coming into a recession."

But he conceded that many small, owner-run restaurants were "in a mess" and were often the source of food poisoning outbreaks. "They give the rest of the industry a bad name," he said.

Leather said no decision had been taken on how the results of inspections should be published. "We need to work out with the industry what would be feasible and meaningful," she said.

The conference took place in the Hanover International hotel in Hinckley, Leicestershire, last week.

by Ben Walker