“ Get ready for new food hygiene rules, or risk losing nearly half your customers”
Oaten concludes:“ Leisure spending is a good indicator of consumer confidence and the overall direction of the UK economy. Following a period of favourable conditions, including low inflation, unemployment and interest rates, consumers feel generally positive and have sufficient disposable income to justify spending on non-essential leisure activities.”
The report also revealed consumers’ leisure spending intentions in the first three months of 2017 and, with the exception of holidays and the gym, consumers expect to spend the same or less in most categories.
Oaten adds:“ In the first three months of 2017, 18-34-year-olds are expecting to spend less on eating and drinking out than they did in the final quarter of 2016. This is a typical trend for the season, with health-conscious consumers keen to get over the January blues.”
“ Get ready for new food hygiene rules, or risk losing nearly half your customers”
Almost half( 44 %) of customers could physically turn away from the front doors of more than 43,000 restaurants, takeaways, cafés and pubs when food businesses in England are legally required to display their food hygiene ratings, according to research by commercial insurer NFU Mutual.
The NFU Mutual Food Hygiene Ratings Report, this month, reveals that 44 % of people would turn away from even their favourite places to eat and try somewhere else instead, if a food hygiene rating of less than four out of five was on display.
Darren Seward of NFU Mutual comments:“ Our report shows that when it comes to food safety, customers have naturally high standards and a‘ good’ score can no longer be seen as an aspiration but a minimum benchmark.
“ It’ s fantastic to see that over 82 % of all hospitality-sector food outlets in England have a rating of good or very good and the
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industry as a whole is taking real pride in food hygiene- but imminent compulsory displays are destined to be a game changer for those businesses struggling to reach the top grades.
“ In advance of legislation changes, all business owners should prioritise their food hygiene plans and processes, acting now to ensure that they have considered all hygiene and paperwork aspects rated by their local authority including cleanliness, structure and confidence in management, to ensure a continued rating of 4 or 5 for the day an inspector calls.”
The report, which assesses consumer attitudes, public support for new legislation and its potential impact, shows that in total over 65,000- almost one in seven- relevant businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have a food hygiene rating of three( generally satisfactory) or below – with over 43,000 of these being catering and hospitality businesses in England.