Tue 20th Nov 2018 - Just Eat to display food hygiene ratings nationwide Just Eat to display food hygiene ratings nationwide: Online food delivery business Just Eat has announced plans to include the official food hygiene rating of each of its UK restaurant partners across its platforms. Following consultations with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), Just Eat will launch a trial with more than 600 restaurants in Northern Ireland early next year. Following a full evaluation, a national roll-out will be implemented later in 2019. While Just Eat already provides a link to the FSA’s website on each restaurant partner’s menu page, the modification will show hygiene ratings instantly in-app and online. A spokeswoman told Propel plans had been in the pipeline to include restaurants’ official hygiene rating before a BBC investigation last month revealed a number of restaurants on its platform had a zero hygiene rating. Just Eat UK managing director Graham Corfield said: “Publishing restaurants’ FSA hygiene rating both in-app and online will make it much easier for customers to make informed decisions about the takeaway choices that best suit them. As a leading player in the sector, we also have a constantly growing programme of activity to support and educate our 29,000 restaurant partners about improving food hygiene standards. We are always looking to do more for our partners and customers and displaying hygiene ratings will provide better access to this important information.” Just Eat said the initiative built on the work it already carries out to improve hygiene standards in the takeaway industry. The company already offers its UK restaurant partners access to food hygiene training (level 2) and certification, which covers food-handling, food safety management and food hygiene law. Partners can also access resources from the FSA and global food safety consultants NSF through Just Eat’s Partner Centre. CIEH chief executive Anne Godfrey said: “This is a step in the right direction from Just Eat. Openly displaying food hygiene ratings next to food outlets on its website will not only help consumers make the best and safest decision about where to eat but also promote best practice. CIEH has been calling for transparency around food hygiene ratings and is campaigning for their mandatory display in food outlets across England. As such, Just Eat’s announcement is welcome and we look forward to working closely to improve standards across the industry.” FSA chairman Heather Hancock added: “This is a constructive and welcome commitment from Just Eat. Displaying food hygiene ratings digitally on the Just Eat platform will mean consumers see them at the point they order food. They will know the food hygiene standards in the places their food is coming from.”