If you’ve seen recent reports suggesting Auckland’s familiar food grading system is about to be scrapped, you can be forgiven for feeling concerned. Food grade certificates are popular with businesses and diners alike, offering a quick visual cue about a business’s performance at their most recent food safety inspection.
But despite what you may have seen online, Auckland Council’s Governing Body has not voted to abandon food grades, reduce food safety standards or weaken oversight of food businesses.
Instead, it has voted to allow the Food Safety Information Bylaw 2020 to expire. That sounds significant, but for Aucklanders, food businesses and even council inspectors, very little will actually change.
Why remove the bylaw?
Food grades are not part of our national food safety laws (which are covered entirely by the Food Act). They are managed by EatSafe Auckland, a unique public information service for eligible businesses that issues physical certificates and publishes grades online to help customers make informed decisions about where to eat.
We know businesses like to display their grades, and the public likes to see them. So why did committee members vote to let the bylaw expire?
The simple answer is that it represents a layer of bureaucracy that no longer serves a practical purpose.
The bylaw’s sole purpose is to require the display of EatSafe Auckland certificates, and it was introduced at a time when councils had fewer enforcement options for dealing with food safety issues.
Since then, the Food Act has granted councils much stronger regulatory powers. Meanwhile, the bylaw’s only enforcement mechanism – the ability to prosecute a business for failing to display its food grade certificate – has never actually been used.
The main reason is that the council's robust inspection programme and powers under the Food Act mean poor food grades are both uncommon and usually short-lived.
No impact on food safety
In the last year, Auckland Council officers inspected almost 5,000 restaurants, cafés and takeaway outlets across the region. Of these, around 98 per cent met their food safety requirements at the time they were verified and were issued an A grade. Just 15 B grades were issued, no C’s, 48 D grades and 18 Es.
While B grades typically reflect minor issues, a D or E grade indicates a more serious breach, such as a pest problem or improper food storage.
Whatever the problem, the council has strong powers under the Food Act to ensure the business addresses it quickly. That can include restricting business operations, requiring corrective action, closing the premises until it is safe to reopen, or prosecuting serious breaches where appropriate.
In every case, council inspectors work closely with operators to make sure any issues are resolved promptly and that food sold to Aucklanders is safe. Typically, businesses will return to an A grade in just a few days or weeks after making the necessary improvements and passing a follow-up inspection.
Food grades are here to stay
It’s important Aucklanders understand that food grades represent a snapshot in time. Most businesses that receive D grades held an A grade the day before, and they will be operating under safer conditions now that officers have paid a visit. With that ‘D’ will have come a list of corrective actions that they need to immediately put in place to ensure the food sold is safe. If this isn’t possible, they will receive an E and be required to temporarily close.
Aucklanders should also know that not all eateries are eligible for a grade, as some businesses – such as nationwide fast-food chains – are registered with MPI rather than the council. If they’re registered with MPI, they may have a certificate of food registration or verification on the wall but not a grade.
While food grades aren’t a foolproof guarantee of food safety, councillors and council staff know how much Aucklanders value them.
After the bylaw expires at the end of April 2027, Auckland Council will continue issuing food grades just as it does today. Businesses will still be expected to display their certificates as part of the EatSafe programme, grades will still be published online, and the council will continue following up if a certificate isn't on display.
In other words, if you’re someone who regularly looks for an A grade on the wall before ordering your meal, you should keep doing exactly that.