Restaurants in Wales that offer commercial coffee
machine facilities may soon be obliged to demonstrate if they
are meeting food hygiene standards.
The Scores on the Doors scheme is already operating across
Britain on a voluntary basis, which means businesses can choose
whether to display their hygiene rating.
However, the Welsh government is looking to make this a legal
requirement as part of an effort to increase standards.
Lesley Griffiths, the health minister in Wales, said switching
to a compulsory system will encourage "all businesses to improve
their procedures".
She noted that while food providers are legally required to
comply with hygiene regulations, there is no obligation to make
their ratings known.
"Those with low scores generally do not display them," Ms
Griffiths observed.
She added that greater transparency would enable consumers to
make more informed choices about which food and drink providers
they visit.
This comes after the Food Standards Agency revealed just six per
cent of businesses in Wales that were rated between zero and two
display this information.
By contrast, 66 per cent of firms with a five-star rating make
this known to consumers