Over the coming months and years an important change is taking place in the city. For the first time, consumers will be informed about food safety standards found by Environmental Health Officers.
Following inspections, food safety reports will be sent to establishments. These reports include SmileSafe ratings calculated by using part of a national scheme set by the Food Standards Agency which is used to determine how often food establishments are inspected.
Food business operators are strongly encouraged to display their food safety report in a front window or door where it can be seen easily. Unfortunately there is no legal requirement to do this, but in time we hope that the absence of a clearly displayed report at a food establishment will tell its own story!
We believe that publicising and listing food safety reports and SmileSafe ratings gives high achieving businesses the recognition they deserve and provides an incentive to underachieving businesses to improve.
If you would like to find out more about how SmileSafe ratings are calculated, click here.
Which types of establishments will be issued Food Safety Reports with SmileSafe ratings?
Catering establishments which handle, prepare and/or cook food for the public such as takeaways and restaurants. Food retailers are not included in the scheme unless they handle and prepare unwrapped foods.
Business requests to have their SmileSafe ratings reassessed
If a food business operator has been given a SmileSafe rating and believes he can improve it by undertaking prompt remedial work, he may make one request for a visit to have his SmileSafe rating reassessed.
Within 28 days of the initial inspection, the food business operator must state in writing the improvements he has made and pay an administrative fee of £104. An Environmental Health Officer will then make an unannounced visit to the establishment at some time between 28 and 56 days following the initial inspection to reassess its SmileSafe rating.
Why smiley faces?
The SmileSafe scheme is based on a similar scheme that has been running successfully in Denmark* since 2001. We believe that smiley faces* are an excellent way to represent food safety ratings for the following reasons:
- Smileys need little or no interpretation by consumers looking at the food safety reports.
- Smileys are instantly recognisable and symbolise negative as well as positive ratings.
- Smiley faces (unlike stars) are not used for any other rating systems in the catering and hospitality industries.
- Smiley ratings are easy to understand and interpret by consumers and food business operators who cannot read English.
Comments
The SmileSafe scheme in Leicester is part of a "Scores on Doors" pilot* being run in conjunction with other cities (Coventry*, Derby*, Hull*, Nottingham*, Stoke* and London*) and the Food Standards Agency*.
We welcome any comments from businesses and consumers about this scheme. If you have any comments, please send an e-mail to food@leicester.gov.uk, fill in our feedback form or write to:
David Barclay Rhodes
Food Safety Team Manager
Leicester City Council
New Walk Centre (A4)
Welford Place
Leicester
LE1 6ZG
*Leicester City Council is not responsible for content or services provided on external websites.
*Leicester City Council is not responsible for content or services provided on external websites.