Merit Market food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Thurrock
Merit Market holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The shop met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 18 February 2025, 16 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Costcutter, 70 High Street, Aveley, RM15 4BX
How it compares in Thurrock
In Thurrock, 71% of rated places manage a 5, so Merit Market sits behind roughly 1,061 nearby businesses. 7% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 833 | 71% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 228 | 20% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 85 | 7% | ← Merit Market | |
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 120 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Merit Market none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Merit Market, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown And Anchor Pub/bar/nightclub | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
| Aveley Post Office Retailers - other | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2025 |
| Aveley Community Hub Coffee And Snack Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2025 |
| Explorers Aveley Caring Premises | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2026 |
| Co-op Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 93 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 November 2025 |
| Ashlyns Organics Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2025 |
| Capability Brown Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 February 2026 |
| Aveley's Chef Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2025 |
Questions about Merit Market
What is Merit Market's food hygiene rating?
Merit Market has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Thurrock Council on 18 February 2025.
Is Merit Market safe to eat at?
A 3 means the shop met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Merit Market last inspected?
Merit Market was last inspected on 18 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Thurrock Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Merit Market?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Merit Market compare to other places in Thurrock?
71% of the 1,167 rated food businesses in Thurrock hold the top rating of 5, while Merit Market holds a 3. 85 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Thurrock Council inspects Merit Market and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Merit Market and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Merit Market is one of 34 rated food businesses in Aveley. See every hygiene rating in Aveley →
Thurrock inspects and rates 1,287 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Thurrock →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.thurrock.gov.uk/food
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →