Consumer research has revealed that the majority of people in the UK (75% of respondents) will rule out visiting any restaurant which has had food safety issues in the past, even if the a friend recommended they try it. This overwhelming response may prompt businesses to take food hygiene issues more seriously, as it shows a direct link between food safety and future revenue.
Further statistics were also uncovered by this particular survey, which was conducted by Checkit earlier this year. In total, out of the three quarters that said they wouldn’t risk eating in a restaurant which had been involved with a food safety incident in the past, 43% ruled it out permanently, regardless of improvements.
This data says a lot about how highly people value good hygiene, but whether businesses take the same approach is unclear. Building trust with customers is essential in any business, but it always seems to be the case that some food establishments are willing to cut corners if it helps them cut costs in the short term.
This fails to account for the long term costs of losing business due to a poor reputation, even if it was only one isolated incident that caused a decline in trust. As this survey data demonstrates, that can be all it takes. On top of this, you have to consider the potential legal costs and fines involved if a business owner is prosecuted over food safety failings. Many examples of this have been reported in the press, with total costs and fees often going into thousands or even tens of thousands of pounds.
There is no contest when you stack up these consequences against the alternative, which is to keep your business in line with all relevant legislation and operate a clean, safe kitchen. At KDC we specialise in commercial kitchen deep cleaning services, which can be invaluable for businesses looking to meet food hygiene standards as well as fire safety guidelines. If you think you need some help getting your premises up to scratch, take a look at the services we offer or simply contact us.
