Three-quarters of respondents in the FSA’s latest Food and You survey reported having seen any of the stickers and certificates belonging to different food hygiene rating schemes, compared with 56% in the previous survey in 2012.
The FSA recommends that businesses should display the notices at their premises in a place where people can easily see them. In Wales it has been mandatory for pubs to display food hygiene stickers since November last year.
Respondents were also asked if they had used a hygiene scheme in the past 12 months to check a food businesses’ rating before deciding to eat there – one fifth said they had.
Overall, the survey found that 65% of respondents said that the cleanliness and hygiene of eating establishments was important – a higher proportion than good service (56%), recommendations and reviews (49%) and price (48%).
Food allergies
The survey also gives an insight into the number of people with a food allergy. In total, of the 3,500 people polled, 4% reported having an allergy. Of those, two thirds said they had seen a doctor about their allergy with 40% saying that it had been clinically diagnosed. One in 10 respondents reported living in a household in which someone had a food allergy.
The findings come as pubs and caterers gear up for the new EU allergen legislation, which comes into force on 13 December. Under the legislation, pubs will need to display information on 14 different allergens contained in any food and drink product.