Scores on Doors to Become a Nationwide Scheme
The Food Standards Agency Board came to a decision yesterday on how the Scores on the Doors (SOTD) initiative should be implemented. SOTDs is a scheme that has been piloted across the country. It aims to grade a food selling premises on their hygiene levels and then gives the company a certificate to be voluntarily displayed, the grade is also placed online.
It has now been decided that a nationwide system will be brought in, bringing an end to the piecemeal set up of thirteen formats that is currently in operation. However a decision is still to be made on the grading system that will be used, whether it be;
• a four tiered system, with three stars and a fail rating, or,
• a three tier scheme with ‘Pass’ or ‘Improvement Required’ certificates being issued, alongside a fail rating – as per the scheme which has been piloted in Scotland
A 12 week consultation period will soon begin and following this, when the Agency has reviewed the responses, they will work with local authorities to finalise and implement the scheme