Wales celebrates 10 years of compulsory sticker display – compliance up 27 percentage points.

71% of Welsh food businesses now have the top hygiene rating of 5 – a jump from 44% from 10 years ago – making it the highest on record in Wales.

In 2013, Wales became the first country in the UK to make it a legal requirement to display hygiene rating stickers in prominent places, like front doors and windows of food businesses.

Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle said:
“Everyone in Wales deserves to enjoy their food, with full confidence that it has been prepared in a hygienic manner – the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings has done just that.

Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said:
“The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is rightly celebrated as one of the most significant public health achievements of the 21st century.

The striking black and green stickers on display at restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and online, are a simple and transparent way of giving people the reassurance that food is being prepared and served in a clean and hygienic way, and the business is meeting its legislative requirements for food hygiene. 

The scheme allows people to vote with their feet or by a click of a button and choose those businesses that take food hygiene seriously.

I’m grateful to the Welsh Government for their commitment to making this a mandatory requirement which has been crucial to the Scheme’s success.