Government backed approach to support hospitality businesses and improve food safety inspections
Safe to Trade recognised within Primary Authority Inspection Plan approved by Secretary of State. A new government-backed approach is set to support hospitality businesses while improving how food safety inspections are carried out across England, at a time when both operators and regulators are under increasing pressure.
The sector continues to face significant challenges, with four hospitality venues closing every day in the final quarter of 2025 and more than 3,300 businesses shutting their doors over the past year. As operators navigate rising costs and ongoing uncertainty, local authorities are also balancing stretched resources with the need to maintain consistent and effective enforcement.
Safe to Trade has been formally recognised within a Primary Authority Inspection Plan approved by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. The plan is administered by Milton Keynes City Council, which acts as Primary Authority for Shield Safety. The framework is designed to bring a more consistent and proportionate approach to inspections, particularly for businesses operating across multiple local authority areas. By recognising the strength of independently assessed food safety systems, it enables a more streamlined experience for compliant operators, helping to reduce unnecessary duplication while maintaining high standards.
For many operators, this could mean fewer repeat inspections where strong systems are already in place. At the same time, it supports local authorities to take a more targeted approach, allowing inspection activity to focus where it is most needed and where risks are highest.
The Inspection Plan sets out how local authorities in England should approach inspections for venues listed on the Safe to Trade Directory, introducing a clearer and more consistent framework that reflects the strength of existing compliance systems, alongside Safe to Trade’s independent auditing and governance.
The recognition comes at a time when both regulators and hospitality businesses are under increasing pressure, and when consumer expectations around food safety remain high. Research shows that 78% of diners check hygiene information before choosing where to eat, reinforcing the importance of trusted and transparent standards. Clare Lycett, Senior Practitioner and Environmental Health Primary Authority Lead Officer at Milton Keynes City Council, said: “This Inspection Plan provides a clear, consistent and proportionate approach for local authorities
when inspecting Safe to Trade certified venues.”
John Barnes, former Head of Local Delivery at the Food Standards Agency and member of the Safe to Trade Independent Governance Board, said: “This reflects the growing role that independently assessed assurance programmes can play in supporting a more modern, risk-based approach to regulation, helping ensure inspection activity is focused where it can have the greatest impact.” Dr Mark Flanagan, Founder and CEO of Shield Safety, said: “This is about creating a more balanced system. Businesses that are investing in strong food safety standards should see a more consistent and proportionate approach, while regulators are better able to focus on higher-risk areas. It’s a step forward for both the sector
and those responsible for enforcing it.”
Safe to Trade is the UK’s first comprehensive third-party food safety assurance programme for the hospitality sector and forms part of Shield Assure, Shield Safety’s wider safety and risk management solution for thehospitality sector. Shield Safety acts as the Certification Body for Safe to Trade, carrying out independent audits and certification decisions, to provide the oversight that underpins the programme.
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