International Food Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Barking and Dagenham
International Food Store holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: International Food Store was inspected on 29 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 8% of rated food businesses in Barking and Dagenham score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Barking and Dagenham ratings →
Address: 218 Heathway, RM10 8QS
How this rating has changed
International Food Store has gone backwards: it held a 3 before its inspection on 29 July 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 29 July 2026 | 3 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 Barking and Dagenham
A 1 is rare: only 75 of 1,214 rated places in Barking and Dagenham score this low, about one in 16. By contrast 56% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 677 | 56% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 281 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 149 | 12% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 29 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 75 | 6% | ← International Food Store | |
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 251 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 International Food Store 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 International Food Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Fish Bar Ltd Takeaway/sandwich shop | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 October 2024 |
| Asia Halal Supermarket Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 October 2024 |
| BGirls Kitchen Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2026 |
| Anne - Mary's Bakehut LTD Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2026 |
| B and M Retail LTD Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2025 |
| Aldi Stores Limited Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 October 2023 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 November 2024 |
| B & M Retail Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 February 2019 |
Questions about International Food Store
What is International Food Store's food hygiene rating?
International Food Store has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Barking and Dagenham Council on 29 July 2026.
Is International Food Store safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop 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 International Food Store last inspected?
International Food Store was last inspected on 29 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Barking and Dagenham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at International Food Store?
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 International Food Store compare to other places in Barking and Dagenham?
56% of the 1,214 rated food businesses in Barking and Dagenham hold the top rating of 5, while International Food Store holds a 1. 75 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Barking and Dagenham Council inspects International Food Store 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 International Food Store 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 Barking and Dagenham, 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: Barking and Dagenham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
International Food Store is one of 638 rated food businesses in Dagenham. See every hygiene rating in Dagenham →
Barking and Dagenham inspects and rates 1,465 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Barking and Dagenham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/Pages/Home.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 →