Sainsbury's food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Oxford City
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 19 March 2026, 3 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: 5 Magdalen Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3AD
How it compares in Oxford City
That puts Sainsbury's among the 1,206 places in Oxford City holding top marks, 87% 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 | 1,206 | 87% | ← Sainsbury's | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 116 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 32 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 156 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 86 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2026 |
| Angrid Thai Canteen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 126 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2024 |
| Ashmolean Rooftop Restaurant And Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 158 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| 100% Pasta Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 165 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2024 |
| Bbuona Other catering premises | 165 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2026 |
| Cafe Creme Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 179 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2024 |
| Bonn Square News Retailers - other | 184 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 July 2024 |
| Balliol College JCR Pantry Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 199 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 May 2024 |
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 Oxford City Council on 19 March 2026.
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 19 March 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Oxford City 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 Oxford City?
87% of the 1,381 rated food businesses in Oxford City hold the top rating of 5, and Sainsbury's is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Oxford City 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
Oxford City inspects and rates 1,537 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Oxford City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.oxford.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 →