Almost half of diners in the UK worry about food safety when eating in restaurants, pubs, cafes and takeaways, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has reported.
A survey for the FSA’s latest Biannual Public Attitudes Tracker report, published on 30 July, found that food hygiene when eating out was the highest ranking food safety issue for respondents. More than a third (37 per cent) said it was a concern.
In the survey of 2,640 adults, 48 per cent of respondents said they were very or fairly concerned about food safety in UK restaurants, pubs, cafes and takeaways, with 42 per cent reporting similar concerns about food safety in shops and supermarkets.
The report also found a high awareness of food hygiene, with 83 per cent of respondents saying they were conscious of food hygiene standards when they ate or bought food.
Jenny Morris, principal policy offer at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, told Environmental Health News: “It’s good that consumers are interested in food safety and now that we have the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme they have the opportunity to encourage improvements, by basing their choices on the ratings.”
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland and gives enables consumers information about the hygiene standards of restaurants, takeaways and food shops via a searchable database on the FSA website, which can be found here.
Increasing awareness of food hygiene among consumers reinforces the importance of compliance with food safety rules. Failure to do so can result in a fine of up to £20,000 per Food Safety Act offence and a prison sentence of up to six months in the magistrates courts, with potential penalties rising to jail terms of up to two years and/or unlimited fines if a case goes to Crown Court.
Palmers can provide expert advice to facing action by food safety authorities with the aim of avoiding prosecution wherever possible.
For more information on how we can assist in the event of verbal or written warnings issued by local authorities, improvement notices, emergency prohibition notices, investigations or food safety prosecutions, please contact Jeremy Sirrell, who specialises in regulatory issues including food safety, health and safety and licensing issues.