Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Epping Forest
Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited 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
This is a fresh result: Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited was inspected on 17 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Sainsbury's J Sainsbury PLC, Old Station Road, Loughton, IG10 4PE
How it compares in Epping Forest
That puts Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited among the 760 places in Epping Forest holding top marks, 84% 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 | 760 | 84% | ← Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 96 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 36 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 148 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 Supermarkets Limited 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.
Questions about Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited
What is Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited's food hygiene rating?
Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Epping Forest Council on 17 June 2026.
Is Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited 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 Supermarkets Limited last inspected?
Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited was last inspected on 17 June 2026, within the last month. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Epping Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited?
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 Supermarkets Limited compare to other places in Epping Forest?
84% of the 910 rated food businesses in Epping Forest hold the top rating of 5, and Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Epping Forest Council inspects Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited 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 Supermarkets Limited 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 Supermarkets Limited is one of 214 rated food businesses in Loughton. See every hygiene rating in Loughton →
Epping Forest inspects and rates 1,058 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Epping Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eppingforestdc.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 →