, updated By Rory Tingle, Home Affairs Correspondent and Oliver Price, Data Journalist
Small businesses and even Sainsbury’s have been caught displaying inaccurate food hygiene ratings – with a food safety lawyer warning the issue was rife across the country.
Food Standards Agency (FSA) ratings are based on official inspections which look at how businesses prepare and store food, as well as the cleanliness and physical condition of their premises.
A rating out of five is then given, with three meaning hygiene standards are ‘generally satisfactory’ and anything under that requiring improvement.
However, a string of East London businesses ranging from independent restaurants and newsagents to a Sainsbury’s supermarket have been caught misleading customers with inaccurate ratings in what experts say is a nationwide problem.
When confronted by the BBC, some of the firms denied deliberately deceiving customers, while others wrongly insisted the rating on display was in fact accurate despite …