Waitrose food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Reading
Waitrose holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the supermarket are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 14 November 2025, 7 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: 51 Church Street, Caversham, Reading, RG4 8AY
How it compares in Reading
In Reading, 65% of rated places manage a 5, so Waitrose sits behind roughly 881 nearby businesses. 18% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 881 | 65% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 248 | 18% | ← Waitrose | |
| 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 Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BKRY Retailers - other | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 March 2026 |
| Angel Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 111 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 November 2024 |
| Alto Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 117 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 September 2025 |
| Bina Tandoori Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 192 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Caterlink at EP Collier Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2025 |
| ASR Solutions Ltd Distributors/Transporters | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2026 |
| Bowl Central Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2026 |
| Banana Moon Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2025 |
Questions about Waitrose
What is Waitrose's food hygiene rating?
Waitrose has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Reading Council on 14 November 2025.
Is Waitrose safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this supermarket to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Waitrose last inspected?
Waitrose was last inspected on 14 November 2025, 7 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 "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "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, while Waitrose holds a 4. 248 places in the area share that rating.
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 103 rated food businesses in Caversham. See every hygiene rating in Caversham →
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 →