'Look before you book' this Christmas - Food Standards Agency

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is calling on people to check the food hygiene ratings of restaurants before booking Christmas meals out with family and friends. A poll released yesterday found that almost half of the UK public (46%) never check food hygiene ratings of places they plan to eat in.

This is apparently despite 34% of people reporting that they had a bad experience when eating out and suspecting they contracted food poisoning from a restaurant or takeaway. The findings of the FSA poll released this week show one in five people (20%) plan to book their festive meals over the next fortnight. Over half (51%) say they will be responsible for booking a meal for family and friends this Christmas, with meal planners' biggest worries being that the food won't be enjoyable (25%). However, only 3% of people reported that restaurants' food hygiene standards were their main concern.

A spokesperson for the FSA is reported as saying:

"Nobody wants the embarrassment of booking a Christmas meal that is less than perfect. The people we spoke to through our poll spend a lot of time and effort planning festive meals to make sure their family and friends have a good time, yet very few make food hygiene a top priority.

We are urging everybody to look before they book if planning that special Christmas meal. It's quick and easy to check a restaurant's food hygiene rating online - just go to the FSA website: www.food.gov.uk/ratings. If you're out and about, you can also check for the green and black ratings sticker on display and if you can't see one just ask."