Businesses 'see commercial sense of good food hygiene'

Achieving a good rating on a food hygiene certificate can reward businesses commercially as well as benefit the public, a health and safety consultancy has claimed.

With the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) scoring businesses up and down the country, food safety standards are improving nationally proving that it is "fundamentally a great system", according to Sarah Daniels, chartered practitioner and co-founder of Redcat.gb.com.

"Businesses do see the real commercial benefit of achieving [a five-star FHRS rating] - they all want a competitive edge and the kudos that goes with it," added Ms Daniels.

Arguably, gaining a personal health and hygiene certificate can benefit both employee and employer as businesses need to demonstrate their commitment to the scheme's principles and must have adequate relevant records to prove it, according to Ms Daniels.

However, she expressed regret that the FHRS was not a compulsory national scheme. Moves by the Welsh Assembly could actually make this the case in Wales, with first minister Carwyn Jones outlining his intentions in July to draft the first such food hygiene law of its type.