Spar - Wessex Retail food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Plymouth City
Spar - Wessex Retail 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 18 December 2025, 6 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: 25 St Georges Terrace, Plymouth, PL2 1HS
How it compares in Plymouth City
That puts Spar - Wessex Retail among the 1,270 places in Plymouth City holding top marks, 78% 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 | 1,270 | 78% | ← Spar - Wessex Retail | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 198 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 97 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 34 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 11 | 1% |
A further 153 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 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 Spar - Wessex Retail 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 Spar - Wessex Retail, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balmain Care Homes Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2025 |
| Benbows Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| Bridport Operator Ltd Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 December 2023 |
| Britannia Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
| Brimbles Bakery Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
| Avondale Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 June 2016 |
| Albert Road Express Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 September 2020 |
| Bag a Baguette Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2025 |
Questions about Spar - Wessex Retail
What is Spar - Wessex Retail's food hygiene rating?
Spar - Wessex Retail has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Plymouth City Council on 18 December 2025.
Is Spar - Wessex Retail 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 Spar - Wessex Retail last inspected?
Spar - Wessex Retail was last inspected on 18 December 2025, 6 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Plymouth City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar - Wessex Retail?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Spar - Wessex Retail compare to other places in Plymouth City?
78% of the 1,630 rated food businesses in Plymouth City hold the top rating of 5, and Spar - Wessex Retail is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Plymouth City Council inspects Spar - Wessex Retail 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 Spar - Wessex Retail and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Plymouth City inspects and rates 1,783 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Plymouth City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.plymouth.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 →