The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has approved a six-tier Scores on the Doors hygiene rating scheme for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Under the scheme, the hygiene standards of all food retailers and foodservice operators will be rated from fail to a top-score of five.

Scores will be published on the internet and retail bakeries and foodservice operators encouraged to voluntarily display them on the premises.

Scotland is to continue with a two-tier system of ‘pass’ or ‘improvement required’ - a scheme that many industry groups should have been rolled out nationally.

Thomas Adams, MD of Northampton bakery chain Oliver Adams told British Baker, that he thought a six-tier scheme gave greater for inconsistencies in how businesses are scored. “Each EHO interprets the rules differently. If it were simply pass or fail, there would be less room for inconsistency.”