Food hygiene ratings to become compulsory on UK takeaway apps
Key Points
- FSA Board agreed to develop plans making online food hygiene rating display compulsory across the UK
- In-store display would also become mandatory in England, matching Wales and Northern Ireland
- National scrutiny of supply-chain data planned for the 10 retailers selling 97% of shop food
- Ministers make the final call; proposals return to the Board in March 2027, consultation later that year
Takeaway and grocery delivery apps would have to show food hygiene ratings for every business listed under proposals the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Board agreed to develop on Wednesday (16 September).
The FSA said the reforms would make it compulsory to display food hygiene ratings online across the UK, and in shops and restaurants in England, as part of its Future of Food Regulation programme.
Displaying a rating is already a legal requirement for premises in Wales and Northern Ireland, but businesses in England can choose whether to put their sticker in the window.
Online display is voluntary everywhere in the UK, which means a restaurant with a rating of one or zero can list on a delivery platform without shoppers seeing that score.
The FSA said the change would let the public and businesses make informed choices, and it sits alongside plans to give councils stronger enforcement powers against the root causes of poor food safety.
“The way people buy, sell and produce food has changed enormously, and we need to keep pace with that change so that we can be confident of continuing to keep food safe into the future,” said Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the Food Standards Agency.
The proposals would also introduce a national system of scrutiny for the very largest food businesses, with the FSA analysing data from their supply chains to spot systemic risks.
The regulator said over 97% of food sold in shops comes from just 10 national retailers, while over 99.5% of food businesses are micro, small and medium-sized firms that councils would continue to regulate.
A recent trial with those retailers showed national-level scrutiny of their data could identify food safety issues at a systemic level, alongside checks on the ground, the FSA said.
The government asked the regulator to develop the national approach for large businesses in England, starting with major retailers, in the autumn 2025 Budget.
Other changes on the table include a tighter registration process so regulators have a clearer picture of who is operating in the food system, and clearer guidance to help businesses comply.
The FSA said it engaged with more than 1,200 stakeholders across the UK in drawing up the plans, and it will now work through the detail with councils, businesses and other partners through a technical advisory committee.
Ministers will make the final decision on the proposals, and the FSA said it would also work with devolved governments and Food Standards Scotland.
Developed proposals for the whole system will return to the FSA Board in March 2027, followed by a public consultation later in 2027.
