Waitrose food hygiene rating
Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets · Barnet
Waitrose holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the supermarket that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Waitrose was inspected on 10 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: The Spires Shopping Centre High Street Barnet, EN5 5XY
How it compares in Barnet
A 2 is rare: only 84 of 2,354 rated places in Barnet score this low, about one in 28. By contrast 60% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,423 | 60% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 574 | 24% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 226 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 84 | 4% | ← Waitrose | |
| 1 out of 5 | 44 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 513 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Waitrose the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Waitrose, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Du Nord Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2025 |
| Chit Chaat Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 90 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| Cake Box Retailers - other | 155 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2026 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 172 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 April 2024 |
| Blonde Bakes By Donna At Boutique & Bakes Retailers - other | 210 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 May 2023 |
| Corner Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 229 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Cha Wan Jia Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 262 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2025 |
| Barnet Grange Care Home Caring Premises | 404 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
Questions about Waitrose
What is Waitrose's food hygiene rating?
Waitrose has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Barnet Council on 10 June 2026.
Is Waitrose safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The supermarket is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Waitrose last inspected?
Waitrose was last inspected on 10 June 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Barnet Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Waitrose?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Waitrose compare to other places in Barnet?
60% of the 2,354 rated food businesses in Barnet hold the top rating of 5, while Waitrose holds a 2. 84 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Barnet Council inspects Waitrose 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 Waitrose 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Barnet, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Barnet
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Barnet inspects and rates 2,867 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Barnet →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.barnet.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 →