Sainsbury's food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Reading
Sainsbury's 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 29 January 2025, 17 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: 52-55 Friar Street, Reading, RG1 1DX
How it compares in Reading
In Reading, 65% of rated places manage a 5, so Sainsbury's 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% | ← Sainsbury's | |
| 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Local Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 174 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 August 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 212 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 August 2025 |
| Black Sheep Coffee Takeaway/sandwich shop | 231 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| Anonymous Coffee Co at Thames Tower Takeaway/sandwich shop | 235 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2025 |
| Boom Battle Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 246 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2026 |
| Boots UK Ltd at Reading Rail Station Concourse Retailers - other | 274 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2025 |
| Burger King at Reading Rail Station Concourse Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 274 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 April 2026 |
| Cake Box Mobile caterer | 285 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
Questions about Sainsbury's
What is Sainsbury's's food hygiene rating?
Sainsbury's has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Reading Council on 29 January 2025.
Is Sainsbury's 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 Sainsbury's last inspected?
Sainsbury's was last inspected on 29 January 2025, 17 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 Sainsbury's?
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 Sainsbury's compare to other places in Reading?
65% of the 1,362 rated food businesses in Reading hold the top rating of 5, while Sainsbury's holds a 4. 248 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Reading 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.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →