A new Welsh law to drive up hygiene standards in Wales’ food businesses has been granted Royal Assent by Her Majesty the Queen.

The Welsh Assembly’s Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013 will see Wales become the first country in the UK to introduce a mandatory scheme requiring food businesses to openly display their hygiene rating. This scheme is based on the FSA's voluntary food hygiene rating scheme.

The Act will require food businesses to display their food hygiene rating - from between 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good), based on their compliance with food law requirements - and local authorities to enforce the mandatory scheme in their area and ensure ratings are correctly displayed. It is expected the mandatory scheme will come into operation later this year to allow businesses time to prepare.