Food hygiene rating right to reply

What is the purpose of the ‘right to reply’?

This lets you explain to potential customers any actions that you have taken after your inspection to improve hygiene standards at your premises or to say if there were unusual circumstances at the time of the inspection that might have affected your food hygiene rating.

It is not an opportunity to complain or criticise the food hygiene rating scheme or your food safety officer.

What should I do if I want to use my ‘right to reply’?

You should send your comments in writing (you can send an email) to the food safety officer that undertook the inspection of your premises - you will be given the contact details for the officer when you are notified about your rating or you can use the standard ‘right to reply’ form (174 Kb / 2 pages).

How long do I have to submit my comments?

There is no deadline for this so you can submit your ‘right to reply’ at any time up until your next inspection when you will get a new food hygiene rating.

What happens next?

Your local authority may edit your comments in order to remove any offensive, defamatory, clearly inaccurate or irrelevant remarks. Other than that, what you say in your ‘right to reply’ will then be published online together with your hygiene rating at ratings.food.gov.uk/.