Sainsbury's food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Wirral
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
The rating dates from 3 October 2018, more than 7 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 143 Pensby Road, Heswall, Wirral, CH60 7TT
How it compares in Wirral
That puts Sainsbury's among the 1,596 places in Wirral holding top marks, 72% 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 | 1,596 | 72% | ← Sainsbury's | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 367 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 177 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 36 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 27 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 113 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 Very 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunch Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 52 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Golden Wok Takeaway/sandwich shop | 54 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 January 2026 |
| Harvest Mouse Pub/bar/nightclub | 116 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2024 |
| Grange Nursing Home, Caring Premises | 140 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2025 |
| Fairfield Nursing Home Caring Premises | 378 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2025 |
| Heswall Royal British Legion Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2022 |
| Krummies Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 January 2025 |
| Heswall Lawn Tennis Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2019 |
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 Wirral Council on 3 October 2018.
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 3 October 2018, more than 7 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Wirral 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 "very 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 Wirral?
72% of the 2,208 rated food businesses in Wirral hold the top rating of 5, and Sainsbury's is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Wirral 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 84 rated food businesses in Heswall. See every hygiene rating in Heswall →
Wirral inspects and rates 2,321 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Wirral →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.wirral.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 →