A small-scale quantitative survey into the public awareness of the Food Hygiene Rating System ("Scores on the doors") and how the rating system influences the public's decisions

Abstract

In the UK there were approximately 2.4 million cases of foodborne illness during 2020 by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), much higher than 1 million cases estimated in 2009. It is estimated that these cases cost the UK £9 billion per year. To reduce this number Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) from local councils are sent to food businesses across the country. These local councils then report back to the FSA, this is so that food businesses can receive a food hygiene rating. However, the food business can choose whether or not to display the rating given to them if they are located in England.

This project aims to explore the awareness of the public around the Food Hygiene Rating System (FHRS) and if the FHRS also known as "Scores on the doors” affects the publics decision making process when choosing an establishment to purchase food from. The specific objectives are to explore the public’s knowledge of the FHRS, assess the public’s attitude towards the FHRS and analyse if the public’s behaviour is influenced by their knowledge and attitudes towards the FHRS. This dissertation used a quantitative method to collect data, via an online questionnaire. The researcher thought that this would be the best way to collect data because it is quick and simple for the participants to complete, and it is also easily analysed. The researcher used the website JISC to create the questionnaire as well as collect data and analyse said data.

The main findings of this study show that participants have a basic knowledge of what the FHRS is. However, they lack more in depth knowledge that could possibly help them such as knowing that the FHRS does not reflect the quality of food as 61.8% of participants thought it did. Some of the recommendations that the researcher would suggest is a nationwide awareness program to educate the public so that they are aware of what the FHRS is, as well as to give business owners an incentive to improve their potentially low hygiene ratings. A nationwide awareness program might also give business owner an incentive to display their hygiene ratings if they are not already doing so.