Introduction
You’ve just been handed a 1-star food hygiene rating. Soon your score will be public for everyone to see.
Your mind 🧠 is likely imagining what will happen…
Rival competitors will be rubbing their hands.
Customers will judge you.
Delivery platforms may delist you.
And harsh media coverage by the Press may name and shame you.
Your business reputation is on the line. So you need to take action, quick.
But before you panic 😱 remember this.
You can control the narrative – and prevent lasting damage to your business.
We’ve designed the Crisis Comms Kit for this purpose.
Protecting your business reputation is the first important step. And that’s what this article is all about. So let’s get into it.
FREE Download - Crisis Comms Kit.
Why A 1-Star Hygiene Rating is a Big Deal
Hundreds of food businesses successfully navigate a poor hygiene rating every year 🧭
So, let’s look at the immediate damage a 1-star hygiene rating can cause.
And more importantly, what you can do to protect your business from the fall-out 🪖
1-Star Hygiene Rating - Immediate Damage
A poor food hygiene rating is considered to be a rating of 2 or below.
Here’s what you risk when you do not take your food hygiene rating seriously:
✅ Loss of customers
61% of consumers check food hygiene ratings before choosing where to eat or shop.
🚫 Platform abandonment
Your business benefits from using third-party delivery platforms. The big names include UberEats, Deliveroo, and JustEat. Did you know that these platforms typically require a minimum of a 3-hygiene rating? If you don’t meet the requirement, you’ll be escorted off their platform.
📉 Reputation damage
In today’s connected world, bad news travels at lightning speed. Harsh local media PR and negative social media backlash can spiral out of control, very quickly.
⚖️ Fines and legal trouble
Serious breaches of regulations can escalate, leading to enforcement notices or even prosecution. You’re also likely to receive more frequent EHO inspections with a low rating.
1-Star Hygiene Rating - Control Your Story
Addressing food hygiene issues laid down in your EHO Report is essential.
But did you realise how important it is to manage public perception of your new score?
Remember: perception becomes reality in the minds of your customers.
The day your rating goes public, you face a critical choice:
➊ Let others control the story about your business, or
➋ Take control by shaping the narrative yourself.
❌ 1-Star Hygiene Rating - Common Communication Mistakes
When facing a 1-star hygiene rating crisis, there are certain things that you must not do.
⚠️ DO NOT:
🤐 Go silent
This creates an information vacuum. It allows customers and competitors to fill your quietness with speculation.
🙈 Hide your rating
This usually backfires — and it can cost you an additional fine.
🕳️ Ignore the issue
A low hygiene rating will not go away on its own. Putting your head in the sand is not the answer. The longer you wait, the worse the damage becomes.
😠 Respond defensively
Making excuses, lashing out online, or blaming the Local Authority or the EHO can backfire and worsen your situation.
🔻 Downplay the issue
This can further undermine customer confidence. People want — and deserve — to feel safe.
🤯 Over-promise
Don’t make commitments you can’t realistically meet. When promising changes, make them achievable.
🕰️ Miss the opportunity
Don’t fail to show what your business stands for. Use the crisis to highlight your values and your commitment to improve. Apologise.
The Smart Response To A 1-Star Hygiene Rating
Businesses that recover quickly from a 1-Star Hygiene Rating typically follow a clear strategy. Here’s what works:
🤓 Find Out What Went Wrong
📋 Carefully Read the EHO Inspection Report
It is important that you understand exactly what has led to your low hygiene rating. You need to know exactly what needs to be fixed.
The EHO Inspection Report is an important document 📝
If you do not understand the wording then seek help and advice.
It contains specific violations of law that you need to address. So use the EHO Report to put things right.
❓ Decide Your Next Move
Once you have read and understood the report, you need to decide what to do next.
Are you going to:
- Challenge your rating? You can do so if you believe your Hygiene Rating is unfair or wrong. Read our guide: frequently asked questions when appealing your hygiene rating ⁉️
Or are you going to:
• Request a re-inspection? You must only do this once everything in the EHO Inspection report has been corrected ✅
Mindset matters too — here’s how to prepare for a food hygiene inspection without letting fear take over.
🔧 How To Repair Your 1-Star Rating
Don’t leave your next EHO inspection to chance.
👉 Read our article: EHO Inspection Checklist for 5-Star Hygiene Rating
Download the free food safety inspection checklist and learn exactly what to check before the EHO arrives — and how to boost your rating.
📈 Implement The Right Fixes
When you address the issues listed in the EHO Inspection Report, focus on doing your best to fix the problems properly.
Take on board any best practice recommendations.
Document all improvements with photos and written records — as this can help show your progress. You’ll need this anyway, if you decide to go for a re-inspection. You will also need it to defend yourself, if you are challenged.
📢 Control The Narrative Quickly
Don’t let the media or bad customer comments define your business.
Take control of your story.
Do this right away by implementing a strategic communications plan across all channels.
As one restaurant owner told us: “When we received our 1-star rating, using a clear communication strategy helped us retain 85% of our regular customers during the recovery period. Being transparent actually built more trust within our community.”
📦 Ready to Protect Your Business Reputation?
You don’t have to navigate this challenging situation alone.
We developed the Crisis Comms Kit to protect your reputation fast.
🎁 What's Included?
This FREE toolkit has been developed to give you:
Step-by-Step Guidance: Emergency guidance in bite-sized easy-to-follow steps to move you from chaos, to back in-control.
Done-for-You Social Media Calendar: 7-days of pre-planned content ideas and example social media posts – just copy, tweak and share on Instagram or Facebook. Then rinse and repeat until the crisis is over.
Journalist Handling Protocol: Handle media enquiries like a pro with a ready-made journalist-friendly Press statement.
Tips and Advice On How To Deal With Customer Criticism: Handle customer complaints and negative feedback like a pro.
Use the Crisis Comms Kit to protect your business reputation FAST when your poor food hygiene rating goes public.
FREE Download - Crisis Comms Kit.
To Sum Up:
A 1-star hygiene rating creates both operational and reputational challenges. Fixing the hygiene issues is essential — but protecting your reputation is just as important.
With the right communication strategy, you can:
1) Minimise the damage
2) Maintain customer loyalty, and
3) Transform your 1-hygiene rating setback into a compelling comeback story.
Don’t let others define your business based on a single rating.
Take control of your situation before it’s too late.
Get Instant Access To The Crisis Comms Kit Today
A 1-star hygiene rating is not the end of your business – but doing nothing about it might be. Take action now.
