Food hygiene inspections have been delayed, leading to an increased risk of food poisoning for restaurant and takeaway customers, according to a BBC investigation. The report’s analysis reveals that one in five restaurants and takeaways in the UK were not visited by food inspectors for more than two years. Environmental health teams attribute the trend to a pandemic backlog and a recruitment crisis.
The public services union Unison has described the situation as a “serious public health issue”. A spokesman for the union stated that “inspections are now so delayed that it’s perfectly possible for food businesses with shoddy hygiene practices to operate with little fear of ever being caught”.
Hospitality UK, which represents food and drink businesses, countered that, despite recent pressures, the safety of customers remained “non-negotiable”. The group stated that three quarters of eateries had received the top hygiene rating score on their latest inspection.
Late inspections could result in even low-risk establishments allowing standards to slide. One classic car blogger, Steph Holloway, who experienced food poisoning after eating out at a venue with a five-star rating, stated that she believed the situation “isn’t very clean”. Within six months of her visit, the venue was given a zero hygiene rating, reflecting poor cleaning practices, mouldy fruit and fruit flies.
Guidelines indicate that most food premises in England, Wales and Northern Ireland should receive inspections every six months to two years depending on risk. The BBC analysis of more than 250,000 public records shows that over 53,000 premises have not received inspections since 2021. Almost 40% of premises in Scotland have not been inspected for more than two years.
Emily Miles, chief executive of the Food Standards Agency, which oversees food hygiene inspections in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, reports that council food safety funding has declined leading to a 15% drop in hygiene inspection staff over the past decade. In April 2021, the backlog stood at 77,000 businesses awaiting inspection in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, double the usual level. Recruitment, said Miles, is the biggest challenge, with between one in seven and one in ten posts currently unfilled
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