Retailers have accused government food safety experts of making a mockery of promises to slash red tape, after plans were approved this week to make the display of hygiene ratings compulsory for food businesses.

The ‘Scores on the Doors’ system, which is overseen by the Food Standards Agency and rates participants on a hygiene score of one to five, has already been adopted by more than 300,000 businesses across the UK as part of a voluntary scheme.

However, under FSA proposals all food outlets will be forced to take part in the scheme, and will face fines and ‘naming and shaming’ if they fail to display their score.

The plans were met with fury by retail leaders. “The FSA is now showing its true colours,” said a spokesman for the Association of Convenience Stores. “This is the reason why there is such huge cynicism every time one of the government’s agencies suggests a voluntary scheme to work with business because of the predictable tendency for it to turn later down the line into regulation.”

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consorium, added: “The FSA will not be able to find any evidence to show that this scheme has any impact on reducing outbreaks of airborne illness. They have also not produced any evidence to show there is a consumer demand for this regulation. The FSA would be better off focusing on poor businesses and shutting them down.”

However, a report by FSA operations director Andrew Rhodes, presented at an FSA board meeting on Tuesday (22 May), described the scheme as an “important public health measure.

Before the display of hygiene scores can be made mandatory, ministers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would have to introduce legislation.

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