Budgens food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Harlow
Budgens holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the supermarket requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 13 March 2026, 4 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: Unit A, Wisteria House, Wych Elm, CM20 1FS
How it compares in Harlow
A 0 is rare: only 2 of 611 rated places in Harlow score this low, about one in 306. By contrast 81% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 497 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 78 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ← Budgens |
A further 76 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Major improvement necessary
- 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 Budgens the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, 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 Budgens, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dixy Chicken Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 208 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 November 2024 |
| Anamorava Coffee Shop Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 212 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Brinchi Steak House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 212 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 February 2025 |
| Cafe Elite Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 212 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| DHM International UK Ltd Retailers - other | 228 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2025 |
| Costa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| Essex Partnership University Trust - Derwent Centre Caring Premises | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Claire's Accessories Retailers - other | 334 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 December 2024 |
Questions about Budgens
What is Budgens's food hygiene rating?
Budgens has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Harlow Council on 13 March 2026.
Is Budgens safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The supermarket may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Budgens last inspected?
Budgens was last inspected on 13 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Harlow Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Budgens?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", 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 Budgens compare to other places in Harlow?
81% of the 611 rated food businesses in Harlow hold the top rating of 5, while Budgens holds a 0. 2 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Harlow Council inspects Budgens 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 Budgens 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 0 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 Harlow, 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: Harlow
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Harlow inspects and rates 687 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Harlow →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.harlow.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 →