The minimum food hygiene rating requirements that we expect Preppers to meet in order to sell their products through the Platform
Purpose:
The ‘Food Hygiene Rating Scheme’, operated by local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland with the Food Standards Agency, helps consumers make informed choices by providing them with information about Prepper hygiene standards.
This policy sets out the minimum food hygiene rating (‘Rating’) requirements that we expect Stores (Preppers) to meet in order to sell their products through the Platform, and explains how Mura will display the Rating to customers.
Minimum Rating Requirements:
You need an FSA hygiene rating of at least 2 to list on the mura platform, unless you fall within an Exception.
Mura will not onboard you if you do not meet these minimum hygiene standards unless you fall within an Exception.
Overview
Food Hygiene inspections are carried out by local authorities on behalf of the Food Standards Agency. Inspected Preppers are given a food hygiene rating between 0 and 5. These ratings give customers clear information about a Prepper’s food hygiene standards. To list on our platform, Mura requires Preppers to have a Rating of at least 2, unless you fall within an Exception.
Mura displays Preppers’ food hygiene ratings in the ‘Prepper Information’ section on the Platform to make the Rating more readily accessible and to help customers decide upon the Preppers from which they wish to order. We also enable customers to filter five-star rated Preppers. We source this information directly from the UK Food Standards Agency. It is public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
New Preppers which are ‘awaiting inspection’
We also require new Preppers onboarding with us to have a hygiene rating of at least 2. We will allow new Preppers ‘awaiting inspection’ to be listed on the platform (an ‘Exception’) where we can verify the Prepper is a legitimate business.
Exceptions for Preppers already on the platform
While we always expect Preppers to comply with the law and operate using best practice food hygiene standards, we appreciate that the unusual and unexpected can happen. Ratings are based on a snapshot of hygiene standards at the time of the inspector’s visit so we understand that they do not always reflect a Prepper’s usual standards. This is why, at our discretion, we will continue to work with existing Preppers that receive a 1* rating and which temporarily fail to meet the Minimum Rating in certain circumstances (a further ‘Exception’).
If you receive a 1* rating, in order to continuing selling through the platform you must:
- Provide proof that you have contacted your local authority to arrange a re-inspection, and that you have worked with an independent audit company to make the changes outlined in your FSA report. Proof of both steps must be submitted via a Help request to the Mura Admin team.
If you receive a hygiene rating of 1 but do not comply with the process set out above, you will be removed from the platform. You will also be removed from the platform if you follow the process above, but fail to receive a Rating of at least 2 at your subsequent local authority inspection.
Display of ratings on the platform
We will display a Prepper’s food hygiene rating on our platform. This will be displayed in the ‘Prepper Information’ section and will make it easier for customers to access food hygiene information and to decide upon the Preppers from which they wish to order. We will take this rating from a direct feed from the FSA website which will update automatically whenever the FSA updates its own database of food hygiene ratings. If you become aware or believe that the food hygiene rating listed on Mura’s platform is incorrect, you should first check the information the FSA and your local authority holds for your Prepper and seek to resolve the matter with your local authority directly. You should then inform Mura if you believe there is a discrepancy in the information that is being displayed so we can investigate the matter further.
What should I do if I am suspended?
If you wish to be reinstated on the Mura Platform you will need to make improvements to remedy any issues that resulted in your Rating of less than 2. Once those improvements have been made, you should contact your local authority to request a re-visit. Once that assessment has been completed, if you have obtained a Rating of 2 or above, you should provide confirmation of your new Rating to your account manager who will arrange for you to be reinstated.
What if I disagree with the Rating?
We understand that some Preppers may not agree with the Rating that is issued to them. You have the right to appeal, the right to reply and the right to request a re-visit inspection from your local authority. Details of these options will be contained in your Rating notification letter, but also see this FSA Information Note for further information.
- Appeal: Remember you have 21 days from notification of your Rating to submit an appeal to the local authority. During the appeal process, your revised Rating will not be published; your food hygiene rating will be shown as ‘awaiting publication’. You will be able to continue trading on the Mura Platform while your appeal is pending.
- Right to Reply: This enables you to highlight any actions you’ve taken to improve hygiene standards or to explain any unusual circumstances at the time of the inspection. This is then published on the FSA website together with your Rating.
- Request for re-visit: If you are confident that you have made the necessary improvements, you can ask for a re-visit before your next planned inspection so that your hygiene standards can be reassessed with a view to obtaining a higher Rating as soon as possible.The ‘Food Hygiene Rating Scheme’ (’Food Hygiene Information Scheme’ in Scotland) aims to help consumers make informed choices by providing them with information about Prepper hygiene standards. This policy sets out the minimum food hygiene rating (‘Rating’) requirements that we expect Preppers to meet in order to sell their products through the Platform.