Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

Food businesses in Northern Ireland, including takeaways and restaurants, must display an up-to-date food hygiene rating. The rating must be displayed at or near each entrance to the food business. It can also be included in promotional materials, such as websites, flyers, social media posts and printed menus.

Displaying your food hygiene rating stickers

Under the mandatory Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, Northern Ireland food businesses must display their food hygiene sticker: 

• at or near each customer entrance like the front door, entrance or window
• where they can be clearly seen and easily read by customers before they enter 

Staff must also be able to tell customers the food business's food hygiene rating, if asked.

A business must only use images of its current food hygiene rating. If your rating changes following a later inspection, you must remove images of previous ratings from your premises or promotional materials, and only use images of the new rating.

Local councils may issue an 'awaiting inspection' sticker to new food businesses, or to businesses under new ownership, once they have registered. You should display this sticker until the council inspects your business and gives you a food hygiene rating.

Online food hygiene ratings

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) will publish your rating on its food hygiene ratings website. There may be temporary differences between the rating displayed at your premises and rating shown online. This can happen if:

• the local council is uploading a new rating to the website
• your business is appealing the ranking and awaiting the result

If you cannot find your business' rating online, you should contact the local authority responsible for inspecting your premises.

Promote your food hygiene rating

You can promote your food hygiene rating by displaying it on your menus, website or social media channels. Promoting your rating can benefit your business by showing your customers that you take food hygiene seriously and that the food you serve is safe.

Find out how to make the most of your business rating.