Effectiveness of the Tees Valley Food Hygiene Award Scheme towards Food Business Operators and Consumers in the Middleborough District

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the Middlesbrough Council ‘Tees Valley Food Hygiene Award Scheme’ among 131 consumers and 56 food business operators from different wards in Middlesbrough, were interviewed concerning awareness and effectiveness of the scheme. The findings from the survey clarified that the scheme is not fully effective. This study showed that awareness levels of consumers are low and food business operators are higher. The scheme has had no significant effect in influencing consumers to choose food businesses to eat at by star-rating, but a significant association (p<0.01), where it has influenced food business operators in making improvements to their businesses.