Food Hygiene Rating Scheme Audit of Display and Business Survey: 2025

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), launched by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in 2010 and operated in partnership with local authorities, is designed to help consumers make informed decisions about where they eat or purchase food. Since 2011, the FSA has commissioned annual research to monitor display practices, business awareness and attitudes towards the Scheme, and the drivers of compliance. The 2025 study continues this long running programme. In line with previous years of the study, a two-strand approach was adopted to address the core research objectives. This involved 1,336 covert audits and 1,350 telephone surveys with food businesses in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. A targeted audit of 413 food businesses in England with FHRS ratings between 0 and 2 (referred to as ‘low rated’ businesses) was also conducted. Awareness of the FHRS remains consistently high, with at least nine in ten businesses in each country familiar with the Scheme and most food businesses expressing satisfaction with their rating. Businesses across all three countries continue to view the FHRS as important, citing its role in motivating improvements, supporting customer trust and promoting pride in good standards. Physical display of FHRS stickers remains very high in Wales and Northern Ireland, where display is mandatory, and substantially lower in England, where it is voluntary. Where stickers were displayed, almost all businesses appeared to be displaying a valid rating (i.e. matching the FHRS database). However, the targeted audit of low rated businesses in England highlighted that only a minority of lower rated businesses displayed a sticker under the voluntary scheme and, where displayed, almost all were displaying an invalid rating. Most food businesses have an online presence, specifically their own websites or social media accounts. Display of FHRS ratings online remained low across all three countries; this was found to be the case even when food businesses facilitated online food orders. Among businesses with a presence on each platform, fewer than one-in-ten displayed their rating on their website and fewer than one-in-twenty displayed their rating on Facebook or Instagram. Awareness of FHRS safeguards was relatively high, but use remained limited. Non-use was largely driven by acceptance of ratings or a focus on making improvements.