Marks and Spencer food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Westminster
Marks and Spencer holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the supermarket that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Marks and Spencer was inspected on 29 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 8 Southampton Street, London, WC2E 7HA
How it compares in Westminster
A 2 is rare: only 233 of 5,235 rated places in Westminster score this low, about one in 22. By contrast 70% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,663 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 848 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 393 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 233 | 4% | ← Marks and Spencer | |
| 1 out of 5 | 84 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 14 | <1% |
A further 446 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 and Spencer the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and the condition of the premises. 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 Marks and Spencer, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 180 Pizza Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 June 2022 |
| 50 Kalo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2021 |
| 404 Club Not Found Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2025 |
| 42 Holborn Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 January 2024 |
| 1 Leicester Square Rooftop Bar and Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2026 |
| 40 Greek Street Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 March 2025 |
| 27 Old Compton Street Pasta Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
| Abeno Okonomi-yaki Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2026 |
Questions about Marks and Spencer
What is Marks and Spencer's food hygiene rating?
Marks and Spencer has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Westminster Council on 29 May 2026.
Is Marks and Spencer safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Marks and Spencer last inspected?
Marks and Spencer was last inspected on 29 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Westminster Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Marks and Spencer?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Marks and Spencer compare to other places in Westminster?
70% of the 5,235 rated food businesses in Westminster hold the top rating of 5, while Marks and Spencer holds a 2. 233 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Westminster Council inspects Marks and 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 and 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 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 Westminster, 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: Westminster
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Westminster inspects and rates 5,681 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Westminster →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westminster.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 →