F&Y2 Wave 6: Chapter 4 Eating out and takeaways

Introduction

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) helps people make informed choices about where to eat out or shop for food by giving clear information about the businesses’ hygiene standards. Ratings are typically given to places where food is supplied, sold or consumed, including restaurants, pubs, cafés, takeaways, food vans and stalls. 

The FSA runs the scheme in partnership with local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A food safety officer from the local authority inspects a business to check that it follows food hygiene law so that the food is safe to eat. Businesses are given a rating from 0 to 5. A rating of 5 indicates that hygiene standards are very good and a rating of 0 indicates that urgent improvement is required. 

Food businesses are provided with a sticker which shows their FHRS rating. In England businesses are encouraged to display their FHRS rating, however in Wales and Northern Ireland food businesses are legally required to display their FHRS rating ^{(footnote 1)}. FHRS ratings are also available on the FSA website.

This chapter provides an overview of respondents’ eating out and takeaway ordering habits, the factors that are considered when deciding where to eat out or order a takeaway from, and recognition and use of the FHRS.

Prevalence of eating out and ordering takeaways

Source: Food & You 2: Wave 6

Respondents were asked where they had eaten food from in the previous four weeks. Around 6 in 10 respondents had eaten food from a café, coffee shop or sandwich shop (either to eat in or take out) (57%) and 55% had eaten in a restaurant. Half had eaten food from a takeaway ordered directly from a takeaway shop or restaurant (50%), 45% had eaten in a pub or bar, 40% had eaten food fast food outlet (either to eat in or take out) and 32% from a takeaway ordered from an online food delivery company (for example, Just Eat, Deliveroo, Uber Eats). Around 1 in 10 (8%) respondents had not eaten food from any of the listed food businesses in the previous 4 weeks (Figure 13) ^{(footnote 2)}. 

Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6

Younger respondents were more likely to have eaten food from a takeaway (ordered directly or from an online food delivery company) in the previous four weeks compared to older respondents. However, the likelihood that respondents had eaten in a restaurant, pub or bar did not differ significantly between most age groups. For example, 80% of those aged between 25 and 34 years had eaten food from a takeaway compared to 22% of those aged 80 years or over. In comparison, 69% of those aged between 16 and 24 years had eaten in a restaurant, pub or bar compared to 68% of those aged 65-79 years (Figure 14).

Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6

Respondents with a higher household income were more likely to have eaten out in a restaurant, pub or bar, or have eaten food from a takeaway (ordered directly or from an online food delivery company) in the previous 4 weeks compared to respondents with a lower income. For example, 86% of respondents with an income between £64,000 and £95,999 had eaten out in a restaurant, pub or bar compared to 54% of those with an income of £19,000 or below. Similarly, 72% of respondents with an income between £64,000 and £95,999 had eaten food from a takeaway (ordered directly or from an online food delivery company) compared to 52% of those with an income of less than £19,000  (Figure 15).

The prevalence of eating out in a restaurant, pub or bar or eating food from a takeaway (ordered directly or from an online food delivery company) in the previous 4 weeks also varied between different types of people in the following ways:

• household size: respondents who lived in larger households were more likely to have eaten food from a takeaway than those who lived in smaller households. For example, 76% of respondents living in a household of 5-persons or more had eaten food from a takeaway compared to 43% of respondents living alone. However, the prevalence of eating out in a restaurant, pub or bar did not differ by household size. For example, 66% of respondents living in a household of 5-persons or more had eaten out in a restaurant, pub or bar compared to 67% of respondents living alone.
• children under 16 years in household: respondents who had children in the household (74%) were more likely to have eaten food from a takeaway than those who did not have children aged 16 years or under in the household (56%). The prevalence of eating out in a restaurant, pub or bar did not differ greatly between those with (65%) or without (71%) children aged 16 years or under in the household**.
• NS-SEC ^{(footnote 3)}: respondents in some occupational groups (for example, 77% managerial, administrative and professional occupations) were more likely to have eaten out in a restaurant, pub or bar compared to those in other occupational groups (for example, 55% semi-routine and routine occupations), and full-time students (63%). Those who were long term unemployed and/or had never worked (27%) were least likely to have eaten out in a restaurant, pub or bar. However, full-time students (73%) were more likely to have eaten food from a takeaway than those in occupational groups (for example, 59% intermediate occupations) and those who were long term unemployed and/or had never worked (53%).
• urban/rural: respondents living in an urban area (63%) were more likely to have eaten food from a takeaway than those living in a rural area (53%). However, the prevalence of eating out in a restaurant, pub or bar did not differ between those who lived in urban (68%) or rural (71%) areas**. 
• food security: respondents with high (73%) food security were more likely to have eaten out in a restaurant, pub or bar than those with marginal (67%), low (62%) or very low (59%) food security. However, respondents with high (58%) food security were less likely to have eaten food from a takeaway than those with marginal (67%), low (68%) or very low (69%) food security.
• ethnic group: white respondents (70%) were more likely to have eaten out in a restaurant, pub or bar compared to Asian or Asian British respondents (62%), however Asian or Asian British  respondents (72%) were more likely to have eaten food from a takeaway compared to white respondents (61%) ^{(footnote 4)}.
• long term health condition: respondents with no long-term health condition (73%) were more likely to have eaten out in a restaurant, pub or bar compared to respondents who had a long-term health condition (62%), however the prevalence of eating food from a takeaway did not differ greatly between those with (58%) or without (64%) a long-term health condition**. 

Eating out and takeaways by mealtime

Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6

Respondents were asked how often they ate out or bought food to take out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Respondents were least likely to eat out or buy food to take out for breakfast, with 49% of respondents never doing this. Around half of respondents (55%) reported that they ate out or bought takeout food for lunch 2-3 times a month or less often. Respondents were most likely to eat out or buy food to take out for dinner, with 64% doing this 2-3 times a month or less often and 26% doing this about once a week or more often (Figure 16) ^{(footnote 5)}.

Factors considered when eating out

Respondents were asked which factors, from a given list, they generally considered when deciding where to eat out in restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés, coffee shops or sandwich shops.

Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6

Those who eat out were most likely to consider the quality of food (84%) and their previous experience of the place (81%) when deciding where to eat. Over 4 in 10 (45%) respondents considered the food hygiene rating when deciding where to eat out (Figure 17) ^{(footnote 6)}.

Factors considered when ordering takeaways

Respondents were asked which factors, from a given list, they generally considered when deciding where to order a takeaway from ^{(footnote 7)}. 

Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6

Those who order takeaways were most likely to consider their previous experience of the takeaway (78%) and the quality of food (72%) when deciding where to order a takeaway from. Around 4 in 10 (36%) respondents considered the food hygiene rating when deciding where to order a takeaway from (Figure 18) ^{(footnote 8)}.

Awareness and recognition of the FHRS

Most respondents (86%) reported that they had heard of the FHRS. Over half (55%) of respondents reported that they had heard of the FHRS and had at least a bit of knowledge about it ^{(footnote 9)}, ^{(footnote 10)}.

Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6

Most respondents living in England (86%), Wales (92%), and Northern Ireland (91%) had heard of the FHRS (Figure 19)**.

Respondents in Wales (69%) and Northern Ireland (65%) were more likely to report that they had heard of the FHRS and had at least a bit of knowledge of the FHRS compared to those in England (54%).

When shown an image of the FHRS sticker, most (87%) respondents reported that they had seen the FHRS sticker before. Recognition of the FHRS sticker was comparable across England (87%), Wales (91%) and Northern Ireland (93%)** ^{(footnote 11)}.

FHRS usage

Respondents were asked if they had checked the hygiene rating of a food business in the last 12 months. Around 4 in 10 (43%) respondents reported checking the food hygiene rating of a business in the previous 12 months ^{(footnote 12)}.

Respondents living in Wales (59%) were more likely to have checked the hygiene rating of a food business in the last 12 months compared to respondents in England (42%) and Northern Ireland (48%). 

Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6

Respondents who said they had checked the hygiene rating of a food business in the last 12 months were asked what types of food businesses they had checked. The most common types of food business which respondents had checked the food rating of were restaurants (73%) and takeaways (73%). Respondents were less likely to report that they had checked the food hygiene rating of cafés (53%), pubs (37%), or coffee or sandwich shops (37%) (Figure 20) ^{(footnote 13)}.