Waitrose food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · St Albans City
Waitrose 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 24 September 2024, 21 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: 3 Leyton Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2TJ
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts Waitrose among the 821 places in St Albans City holding top marks, 78% 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 | 821 | 78% | ← Waitrose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 153 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 65 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 98 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very 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 Waitrose 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 Waitrose, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marks & Spencer Simply Foods Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 October 2023 |
| Sainsbury's Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 144 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2024 |
| HCL Catering @ St Nicholas C of E V A Primary School/college/university | 144 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2025 |
| Gail's Bakery (Harpenden) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 170 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2024 |
| Silver Palate Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 176 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2025 |
| Giggling Squid Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 177 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 February 2026 |
| Silver Palate Delicatessen Retailers - other | 178 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2025 |
| COOK Retailers - other | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
Questions about Waitrose
What is Waitrose's food hygiene rating?
Waitrose has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 24 September 2024.
Is Waitrose 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 Waitrose last inspected?
Waitrose was last inspected on 24 September 2024, 21 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 Waitrose?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Waitrose compare to other places in St Albans City?
78% of the 1,059 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, and Waitrose is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects Waitrose 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 Waitrose 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
Waitrose is one of 191 rated food businesses in Harpenden. See every hygiene rating in Harpenden →
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,157 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 →