The Co-Operative Food food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · North Devon
The Co-Operative Food holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the supermarket and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: The Co-Operative Food was inspected on 3 August 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in North Devon score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all North Devon ratings →
Address: St Georges Road, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 7AU
How this rating has changed
The Co-Operative Food has gone backwards: it held a 5 before its inspection on 3 August 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 3 August 2026 | 5 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in North Devon
A 1 is rare: only 18 of 1,319 rated places in North Devon score this low, about one in 73. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,105 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 135 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ← The Co-Operative Food | |
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 163 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 The Co-Operative Food the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Co-Operative Food, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstaple Social Club Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2006 |
| Greenfields Respite And Day Service Caring Premises | 154 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2010 |
| Children's Summer Club Other catering premises | 271 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2018 |
| Inspire South West Other catering premises | 271 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2017 |
| Frankmarsh Stores Retailers - other | 346 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2016 |
| Lang Son House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 October 2022 |
| Ebberley Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2025 |
| Barn-A-B's Pre-School Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2010 |
Questions about The Co-Operative Food
What is The Co-Operative Food's food hygiene rating?
The Co-Operative Food has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by North Devon Council on 3 August 2026.
Is The Co-Operative Food safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The supermarket is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was The Co-Operative Food last inspected?
The Co-Operative Food was last inspected on 3 August 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Devon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Co-Operative Food?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Co-Operative Food compare to other places in North Devon?
84% of the 1,319 rated food businesses in North Devon hold the top rating of 5, while The Co-Operative Food holds a 1. 18 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
North Devon Council inspects The Co-Operative Food 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 The Co-Operative Food 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at North Devon, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: North Devon
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Co-Operative Food is one of 409 rated food businesses in Barnstaple. See every hygiene rating in Barnstaple →
North Devon inspects and rates 1,482 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Devon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.northdevon.gov.uk
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 →