Marks & Spencer food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · St Albans City
Marks & Spencer holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the supermarket met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 14 November 2024, 19 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: The Ridgeway, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 9TU
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts Marks & Spencer among the 818 places in St Albans City holding top marks, 77% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 818 | 77% | ← Marks & Spencer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 63 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
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 Marks & Spencer 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 Marks & Spencer, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| B Healthy Retailers - other | 112 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2024 |
| Budgens Supermarket Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 144 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| COOK St Albans Retailers - other | 169 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2024 |
| Central Drive Express Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
| Bean Central Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| Blackberry Jack Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 September 2025 |
| Chartwells catering @ Beaumont School, School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| Body Limit Gym Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2024 |
Questions about Marks & Spencer
What is Marks & Spencer's food hygiene rating?
Marks & Spencer has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 14 November 2024.
Is Marks & Spencer safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this supermarket to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Marks & Spencer last inspected?
Marks & Spencer was last inspected on 14 November 2024, 19 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Marks & Spencer?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Marks & Spencer compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,058 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, and Marks & Spencer is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects Marks & Spencer 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 Marks & Spencer 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
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,163 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Albans City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/business/Health-and-safety/food-safety/foodHygieneRating.aspx
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 →