Sainsbury's food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · St Albans City
Sainsbury's 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
This is a fresh result: Sainsbury's was inspected on 25 August 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
92% of rated food businesses in St Albans City score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all St Albans City ratings →
Address: 31 High Street, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2RU
How this rating has changed
Sainsbury's was re-inspected on 25 August 2026 and held its rating of 5.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 25 August 2026 | 5 5 | Held |
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 St Albans City
That puts Sainsbury's among the 820 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 | 820 | 77% | ← Sainsbury's | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 156 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 110 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 Sainsbury's 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 Sainsbury's, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Palate Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 54 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2025 |
| Silver Palate Delicatessen Retailers - other | 61 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2025 |
| Gail's Bakery (Harpenden) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 66 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2024 |
| Per Tutti Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2025 |
| Bright Horizons Harpenden Central; Caring Premises | 118 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 129 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2024 |
| Impact Food Group @ Harpenden Academy School/college/university | 155 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 158 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2026 |
Questions about Sainsbury's
What is Sainsbury's's food hygiene rating?
Sainsbury's has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 25 August 2026.
Is Sainsbury's 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 Sainsbury's last inspected?
Sainsbury's was last inspected on 25 August 2026, within the last month. 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 Sainsbury's?
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 Sainsbury's compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,064 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, and Sainsbury's is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects Sainsbury's 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 Sainsbury's 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
Sainsbury's is one of 190 rated food businesses in Harpenden. See every hygiene rating in Harpenden →
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,174 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 →