The best and worst places in Scotland for food hygiene pass rates have been revealed in a new report from online training provider High Speed Training.
The report, which analysed Food Standards Agency (FSA) data for over 240,000 food businesses across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, found that in Scotland, the average pass rating across all food establishments in 2025 was 92.2%.
The top spot in Scotland went to South Ayrshire, with an impressive pass rate of 99.00% from over 500 premises, although this was a decrease of -0.81% from 2024. Meanwhile, Highland, ranked 32nd with the lowest pass rate in the country at 77.88%, which was a slight improvement of +0.04% from the previous year.
North Lanarkshire, which is now ranked 7th, had the biggest improvement in ranking, moving up 10 positions from its 2024 rank of 17th.
The biggest drop in ranking was experienced by Angus, which fell 12 places from 12th in 2024 to 24th, having suffered the biggest decrease in its pass rate, which fell by -3.94% to 91.30%.
The most significant improvement in pass rate was seen in the Shetland Islands, which improved by +3.60% to achieve a pass rate of 78.31%.
Glasgow is ranked 27th with a pass rate of 88.47%, a decrease of -0.82% from 2024.
Edinburgh is ranked 26th with a pass rate of 89.68%, representing a decrease of -0.63% from the previous year.
Of the local authorities with over 1000 premises, Fife performed the strongest, with a pass rate of 96.79%, placing them 5th in the rankings. On average, local authorities across the country saw their pass rate fall by 0.28%, and 10 out of 32 local authorities secured a pass rate of 95% or higher.
Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training, said: “Food safety and robust hygiene practices should be of paramount importance to food businesses, and to the customers who use them. 15 years have passed since the launch of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, and its place in the industry is as vital as ever. These ratings are a direct reflection of how safely and hygienically that establishment operates, and we urge businesses and customers to take them seriously.
“For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. However, establishments with a low hygiene rating can be extremely off-putting for customers, which ultimately have a significant impact on reputation and profitability.”
“Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK, and have improved from 2024. This commitment to correct food hygiene training for staff, alongside robust food management procedures and everyday good practices are crucial to keep performing at high standards.
“We would also urge customers to check the food hygiene ratings of establishments they wish to dine at, so that an informed call as to whether you eat there can be made.”
Click here to see the full results ranking each local authority.
