Scores on the doors
Encyclopedia
Scores on the doors is a generic term for publication or display of food hygiene or food safety inspection results of food businesses. In the UK
and some other jurisdictions, summaries of the inspection results are published while elsewhere, a grade or score is all that is published.
conference, the institute called upon the government to mandate the publication of food inspection information, citing similar schemes in the USA, Canada
and Denmark
which had been successful in improving compliance and promoting better consumer choice.
On 1 January 2005 the Freedom of Information Act (and Environmental Information Regulations) came into effect and local councils slowly began to publish the information on the Internet
and via certificates. However there was no uniform grading system and many councils chose their own schemes, thus making comparison difficult.
By June 2009, over 2/3 of all English authorities were publishing the information. The scheme has proved very popular with the public. A website, www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk, receives on average 1/2 million hits per month with an average of 22 page views and 7 minutes per user on the site.
(FSA) recommended a 3 star scheme to its board in March 2008, but the board decided to consult on an option of a simply pass/fail indicator, as implemented in Scotland
. Following representation from many stakeholders it agreed to take comment on "any" scheme, although did not specifically seek opinion about a 5 star option used by 86% of authorities.
The proposed introduction of a national scheme has generated much discussion as it is likely to have a significant impact, in particular, on the UK catering and hospitality
industry. The FSA consultation documents, issued in May 2008, suggest that than half a million UK businesses could be affected. Much of the UK catering and hospitality industry remains unconvinced of the need for schemes of this nature since the freedom of information act give the public access to all they need. Even industry supporters of the principle have concerns that relate to unfair or inconsistent scoring, "gold plating" of regulations by individual schemes and lasting and disproportionate harm to reputation since many authorities refuse revisits after poor scores.
However the major supermarkets' concern about just one of their businesses obtaining a poor score detracting from their overall reputation was heavily outweighed by the preferences of consumers and small businesses. In an on-line poll announced on 1 July 2008 by the National Scores on the Doors User Group, over 50,000 members of the public voted over 13:1 in favor of 5 stars over 3 stars; and even higher over pass/fail. They also surveyed 779 business of all types and found 87% were either satisfied or very satisfied with the 5 star scheme and less than 3% finding efforts to comply to be burdensome.
On 10 December 2008 the FSA board decided to approve a 6-tier system, set up a Steering Committee and survey the public on the preferred symbol. They will also look at the cost-benefit
case for establishing a national database system.
Most of 2009 was spent by the Steering Group and various Working Groups on defining the basis of a National Scheme, and in December agreement was reached on a banding scheme. In an attempt to gain support for this scheme the FSA announced a series of grants to those local authorities that were prepared to commit to this - initially £500k but later raised to £700k. In Wales 21 out of 22 authorities committed to the scheme, but elsewhere support was very patchy. It is understood that only 27 existing authorities took the grant and the UK total is somewhere around 80 (less than 20%).
Meanwhile, the FSA have committed to a launch date of July/August 2010 based on a decision to undertake an in-house web-site development.
In the meantime, new users such as Durham Unitary, Northumberland, Knowsley, Chiltern continue to sign up to the site www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk with existing users such as Birmingham resigning for up to a further 3 years. As the cost of operating a proven scheme on this site continues to fall, speculation mounts as to whether the FSA scheme will succeed or become another "traffic light" scenario - a situation where no single standard or site dominates.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and some other jurisdictions, summaries of the inspection results are published while elsewhere, a grade or score is all that is published.
Origin
At the 2004 Chartered Institute of Environmental HealthChartered Institute of Environmental Health
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health is a professional and educational body, dedicated to the promotion of environmental health and to encouraging the highest possible standards in the training and the work of environmental health professionals.-Structure:It is located in the UK, and...
conference, the institute called upon the government to mandate the publication of food inspection information, citing similar schemes in the USA, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
which had been successful in improving compliance and promoting better consumer choice.
On 1 January 2005 the Freedom of Information Act (and Environmental Information Regulations) came into effect and local councils slowly began to publish the information on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and via certificates. However there was no uniform grading system and many councils chose their own schemes, thus making comparison difficult.
By June 2009, over 2/3 of all English authorities were publishing the information. The scheme has proved very popular with the public. A website, www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk, receives on average 1/2 million hits per month with an average of 22 page views and 7 minutes per user on the site.
Implementation
The Food Standards AgencyFood Standards Agency
The Food Standards Agency is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food throughout the United Kingdom and is led by a board appointed to act in the public interest...
(FSA) recommended a 3 star scheme to its board in March 2008, but the board decided to consult on an option of a simply pass/fail indicator, as implemented in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Following representation from many stakeholders it agreed to take comment on "any" scheme, although did not specifically seek opinion about a 5 star option used by 86% of authorities.
The proposed introduction of a national scheme has generated much discussion as it is likely to have a significant impact, in particular, on the UK catering and hospitality
Hospitality industry
The hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry...
industry. The FSA consultation documents, issued in May 2008, suggest that than half a million UK businesses could be affected. Much of the UK catering and hospitality industry remains unconvinced of the need for schemes of this nature since the freedom of information act give the public access to all they need. Even industry supporters of the principle have concerns that relate to unfair or inconsistent scoring, "gold plating" of regulations by individual schemes and lasting and disproportionate harm to reputation since many authorities refuse revisits after poor scores.
However the major supermarkets' concern about just one of their businesses obtaining a poor score detracting from their overall reputation was heavily outweighed by the preferences of consumers and small businesses. In an on-line poll announced on 1 July 2008 by the National Scores on the Doors User Group, over 50,000 members of the public voted over 13:1 in favor of 5 stars over 3 stars; and even higher over pass/fail. They also surveyed 779 business of all types and found 87% were either satisfied or very satisfied with the 5 star scheme and less than 3% finding efforts to comply to be burdensome.
On 10 December 2008 the FSA board decided to approve a 6-tier system, set up a Steering Committee and survey the public on the preferred symbol. They will also look at the cost-benefit
Cost-benefit analysis
Cost–benefit analysis , sometimes called benefit–cost analysis , is a systematic process for calculating and comparing benefits and costs of a project for two purposes: to determine if it is a sound investment , to see how it compares with alternate projects...
case for establishing a national database system.
Most of 2009 was spent by the Steering Group and various Working Groups on defining the basis of a National Scheme, and in December agreement was reached on a banding scheme. In an attempt to gain support for this scheme the FSA announced a series of grants to those local authorities that were prepared to commit to this - initially £500k but later raised to £700k. In Wales 21 out of 22 authorities committed to the scheme, but elsewhere support was very patchy. It is understood that only 27 existing authorities took the grant and the UK total is somewhere around 80 (less than 20%).
Meanwhile, the FSA have committed to a launch date of July/August 2010 based on a decision to undertake an in-house web-site development.
In the meantime, new users such as Durham Unitary, Northumberland, Knowsley, Chiltern continue to sign up to the site www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk with existing users such as Birmingham resigning for up to a further 3 years. As the cost of operating a proven scheme on this site continues to fall, speculation mounts as to whether the FSA scheme will succeed or become another "traffic light" scenario - a situation where no single standard or site dominates.
External links
- Scores on the doors UK consumer website
- Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
- Search for the National Food Hygiene Ratings on the Food Standards Agency site Food Hygiene Ratings
- Safe2eat website
- Scores on Doors NSW (Australia) information for consumers and retail businesses