The Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Food Safety Consultative Council on May 26 announced a public consultation to gather views from consumers and food businesses in Ireland on a national food hygiene rating scheme. 

“Food hygiene rating schemes are in operation in a number of countries and provide customers with signage that indicates the level of cleanliness and food safety standards of a food business based on official food safety inspections,” FSAI notes, adding that it is calling on consumers and food businesses in Ireland to make their views known through an online consultation that will run until June 23, 2025.

FSAI notes that food hygiene rating schemes are currently in operation in Northern Ireland, England and Wales (Scores on Doors), Denmark and France (Smiley Faces), and in some U.S. states. They typically involve the public display of food safety inspection results as a number, letter or symbol on the food business’s window and/or website, with the aim of increasing transparency in the food chain, supporting consumer decision-making, and promoting higher standards of hygiene across the food sector. 

The results of the consultation will better inform the Food Safety Consultative Council’s understanding of consumers’ and food businesses’ opinions about a food hygiene rating scheme for Ireland. It will review how such a scheme might influence consumer decision-making and what implications it could have for Irish food businesses such as restaurants, cafés, takeaways, hotels, supermarkets and shops. All responses are anonymous, and participants will also have the opportunity to express interest in taking part in possible focus groups or interviews in the future.

Jamie Knox, Chair of FSAI’s Food Safety Consultative Council, urged participation in the consultation and highlighted the importance of engagement by consumers and food businesses since the feedback will provide important information on the next steps for any recommendations on a national scheme.

Information gathered from the consultation will inform a comprehensive evaluation report, expected to be finalized in early 2026. The findings will support FSAI in making an evidence-based recommendation to the Department of Health, which holds responsibility for national food safety policy in this area.

More information on the consultation—including a link to the online questionnaire for consumers and food businesses in Ireland wishing to participate in the consultation—can be found here.