Sainsbury's food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Medway
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 24 July 2024, 23 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 10-14 Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, Hempstead Valley Drive, Hempstead, ME7 3PB
How it compares in Medway
That puts Sainsbury's among the 1,577 places in Medway holding top marks, 80% 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 | 1,577 | 80% | ← Sainsbury's | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 279 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 171 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boots The Chemist Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 8 June 2023 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 50 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 July 2025 |
| Bella Italia Takeaway/sandwich shop | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2025 |
| Bobatime Retailers - other | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 75 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Bakers And Baristas Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 July 2024 |
| Burger King Other catering premises | 201 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 August 2024 |
| Avenue South East Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2023 |
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 Medway Council on 24 July 2024.
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 24 July 2024, 23 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Medway 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 Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, and Sainsbury's is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Medway 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
Sainsbury's is one of 509 rated food businesses in Gillingham. See every hygiene rating in Gillingham →
Medway inspects and rates 2,135 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Medway →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.medway.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 →