Waitrose food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Reading
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 5 December 2024, 19 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: 980 Oxford Road, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 6WR
How it compares in Reading
That puts Waitrose among the 881 places in Reading holding top marks, 65% 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 | 881 | 65% | ← Waitrose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 248 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 148 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 39 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 41 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 155 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Meat Traders Retailers - other | 211 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2025 |
| 3B's Cafe Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2026 |
| 7 Rifles Reading Other catering premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2025 |
| Asda Service Station Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 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 Reading Council on 5 December 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 5 December 2024, 19 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Reading Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Waitrose?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "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 Reading?
65% of the 1,362 rated food businesses in Reading hold the top rating of 5, and Waitrose is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Reading 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 82 rated food businesses in Tilehurst. See every hygiene rating in Tilehurst →
Reading inspects and rates 1,517 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Reading →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.reading.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 →