A POSTCODE lottery of takeaway and restaurant food hygiene ratings has been revealed with up to one in four in some areas failing to meet legal requirements.
Demands have been made for transparent hygiene ratings, as new research covering Scotland's 32 local authorities has found that food hygiene ranges from the worst in Aberdeen City where 23.78% of food businesses had an "improvement required" rating to the best in Stirling where 98% had a "pass rating".
While thousands of restaurants and cafes across the country have been forced to shut their doors due to the pandemic, many are increasingly switching to offering home delivery as a way of reaching customers.
And with around 2.4 million people in the UK suffering from foodborne disease each year, food hygiene standards remain a crucial consideration for people ordering takeaway food during the coronavirus lockdown.
Research from Which? reveals that the five local authority hotspots for food establishments that are breaching hygiene standards are Aberdeen City, followed by City of Edinburgh (20.11%), Highland (18.28%) and Dundee City with (16.23).
Those with the lowest proportion breaching legal requirements were East Ayrshire (0.8%), South Ayrshire (0.82%), Orkney Islands (0.84%) and Stirling (1.06%).
Meanwhile Stirling and East Lothian rate the best of those that are getting a 'pass' which means establishments are broadly compliant - with both having 98% meeting requirements, followed by Orkney Islands and Renfrewshire (97%) and South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway (94%).
But at the other end of the spectrum Shetland Islands had a 60% pass-rate, with the worst local authority performers also being Highland (62%), Aberdeen City (68%), Falkirk (77%) and Aberdeenshire (77%).
The consumer group is calling for changes in Scotland and England, which are the only parts of the UK where it is not mandatory for food businesses to display their food hygiene ratings - making it much harder for consumers to find out if a restaurant or takeaway has acceptable food hygiene standards.
It said evidence suggests that making it a requirement for food businesses to display their hygiene rating can improve standards across the board. Since 2013 when the display of hygiene ratings became mandatory in Wales, the proportion of restaurants with five ratings has increased by 23 per cent. Lisa Barber, Which? Magazine Editor, said: “Our research has found that while some areas are blessed with impressive food hygiene levels across the board, others have large numbers of food businesses, including restaurants and takeaways, with sloppy standards that risk making customers seriously ill.
“There is strong evidence to suggest that food businesses up their game when they know they will have to prominently display their hygiene rating. It must urgently become mandatory for food businesses, including restaurants and takeaways, to display their score on the premises and online, so customers can make informed choices.”
Using data from the Food Standards Agency, Which? collated and analysed food establishments on March 2.
For Scotland, the councils with the highest proportion of food businesses with “pass” ratings were ranked among the best, while the councils with the highest proportion of food businesses with “improvements required” ratings were ranked among the worst.
"Which? is concerned consumers risk being left in the dark or misled about hygiene standards and is calling for the mandatory display of hygiene ratings in food business across the whole of the UK, so consumers can make informed choices when dining out," said the a consumer watchdog spokesman.
"Food businesses, including takeaways and restaurants, should be required to display an up to date food hygiene rating both on the premises and anywhere they have an online presence for customers ordering food from home.
"The regulator should also be prepared to take strong action against food establishments displaying incorrect ratings that risk misleading consumers.
"While some councils have a high proportion of poorly rated food businesses, consumers will still be able to find some hygienic food premises and can use the FSA's online database or Food Hygiene Rating app to check ratings before ordering a takeaway or eating out."
Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Edinburgh city council's environment convener said: It’s important to note that a Food Hygiene Information Scheme assessment of a business which requires improvement often relates to technical matters which are not a risk to public health.
“I can reassure you that where there is an imminent risk to public health we take robust enforcement action, including closure of food premises. Thankfully such cases are rare. We’d encourages customers to make use of the FHIS website to check the FHIS status of local food premises.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman added: “During our inspections we always seek to provide as much information and assistance as possible to the owners and operators to help them improve their standards."
And a spokesman from The Highland Council said: “The council takes breaches of health and safety very seriously and officers will proactively take action to ensure the health and wellbeing of customers.”
Aberdeen City Council was approached for comment.
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