A report by online training provider High-Speed Training has identified the local authorities in Scotland with the highest food hygiene inspection pass rates.
This report examined Food Standards Agency (FSA) data for over 215,000 food businesses across the UK and found that the average pass rate for food establishments in Scotland was 92.5% from over 20,000 premises.
A previous report by High-Speed Training in 2023 calculated Scotland’s average pass rate at 92.13%, indicating an improvement in food hygiene standards across the country.
In Scotland, food premises are inspected under the Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS).
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After an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) evaluates the safety systems, observes food hygiene practices, and speaks with staff, businesses are rated either ‘Pass’—indicating they meet the legal standard of food hygiene—or ‘Improvement Required’—indicating the need for improvements to meet the legal standard.
Similar to England, businesses in Scotland are not legally required to display their hygiene ratings, but customers can access this information online.
South Ayrshire achieved the highest pass rate in Scotland, with an impressive 99.81% from over 500 premises, maintaining its top position from the 2022 and 2023 reports.
Moray showed the most significant improvement, with its pass rate increasing by 5.16% to 92.9%, moving it from 26th to 20th place.
East Lothian experienced the largest drop in pass rates, falling by 3% to 96.09%, which caused the region to drop from 2nd to 10th in the national rankings.
Shetland had the lowest pass rate in Scotland, at 74.471%, a decrease of 2.74% from 2022.
Edinburgh narrowly surpassed Glasgow in the major cities’ comparison, with a pass rate of 90.31% compared to Glasgow’s 89.29%, placing them in the 25th and 27th spots, respectively. In the 2023 report, Glasgow led with an 87.32% pass rate against Edinburgh’s 86.60%.
Among local authorities with over 1,000 premises, Fife performed the best, achieving a pass rate of 97.05% and ranking 7th overall.
On average, local authorities across Scotland improved their pass rates by 0.3%, with more than a third (14 out of 32) achieving a pass rate of 95% or higher.
Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training comments: “Food safety and robust hygiene practices should be of paramount importance to food businesses.
“Recently, we have seen many high profile cases of food poisoning and illnesses caused by food-borne bacteria.
“This is why food hygiene ratings are so important – they are a direct reflection of how safely and hygienically that establishment operates and are of critical importance to consumers.
“For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. However, establishments with a low hygiene rating can be extremely off-putting for customers, which ultimately have a significant impact on reputation and profitability.”
“Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK and have improved from 2023.
“This commitment to correct food hygiene training for staff, alongside robust food management procedures and everyday good practices, is crucial to keep performing at high standards.
“We would also urge customers to check the food hygiene ratings of establishments they wish to dine at so that an informed call as to whether you eat there can be made.”
The report reveals a positive trend in Scotland’s food hygiene standards, with a slight increase in the average pass rate from the previous year.
While South Ayrshire maintains its top position and some regions like Moray show significant improvement, others have experienced declines.
Overall, the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the High-Speed Training report and highlight the commitment of many food businesses to maintaining high standards.
This information is valuable for consumers and regulators who want to promote food safety across Scotland.
