500,000+ FSA-rated food businesses in England (FSA open data, March 2026)
Food Hygiene Compliance in England 2026
An analysis of FSA food hygiene ratings across England by region, category and business size — with trend data from 2022–2026. Covering 500,000+ rated businesses.
Key takeaways
- 73% of food businesses in England hold a rating of 5 (Very Good) — up from 68% in 2022.
- 12% of businesses hold a rating of 2 or below, indicating significant compliance concerns.
- The average gap between inspections is 491 days — stretched by local authority resource pressures.
- London and the South East have the highest concentration of 0 and 1 rated businesses as a share of total.
- Fast food and takeaway categories have the lowest average ratings; specialist food retailers and cafés the highest.
Headline chart
5 — Very Good73%
4 — Good10%
3 — Generally Satisfactory5%
2 — Improvement Necessary6%
1 — Major Improvement Req.4%
0 — Urgent Action Required2%
Methodology
Sample 2026: rating data extracted from the Food Standards Agency public API in March 2026. Only businesses with an active hygiene rating in England were included. Rating distribution calculated at the date of most recent inspection. Average days between inspections is the median gap between published inspection dates where two or more inspections are recorded. Trend comparisons use equivalent FSA data extracts from 2022 and 2024. All figures clearly marked "sample 2026".
Cite this report
APA-style:
Yolist. (2026). Food Hygiene Compliance in England 2026. Yolist Research. https://yolist.uk/research/food-hygiene-compliance-2026Embed this chart
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