Aiden Byrne, renowned chef restaurateur, joined highly respected industry food leaders and regulators, alongside well-known public figures, for the official Greater Manchester launch of the new consumer standard, ‘Safe to Trade’.

Also in attendance were Geoffrey Podger, Chair of the Safe to Trade Independent Governance Board, former CEO of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA), and John Barnes, Member of the Safe to Trade Independent Board and former Head of Local Delivery at the Food Standards Agency. 

They were joined by members of the public and well-known actors Tupele Dorgu, Julia Haworth, and Graeme Hawley, who helped showcase this game-changing development for the hospitality industry and the wider public.

The launch, held at the Safe to Trade headquarters in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, unveiled a new trusted mark of excellence designed to prioritise customer health and safety and strengthen consumer confidence across the hospitality sector.

With over half of UK consumers having experienced food poisoning at least once in the past five years*, and approximately 2.4 million adults in the UK having a clinically confirmed food allergy**, food safety has never been more important.

The consumer standard is much more than a hygiene rating; it provides reassurance that food businesses are operating to robust levels of safety and hygiene, including allergen management, front-of-house cleanliness, and food labelling – addressing key areas of concern for individuals and families. 

This commitment to safety is especially vital for allergy sufferers, pregnant individuals, older adults, and those with underlying health conditions, for whom choosing where to eat often requires extra care and confidence.

Aiden Byrne, Safe to Trade Ambassador and the youngest chef ever to earn a Michelin star – a record he still holds today – comments: “I’m excited about Safe to Trade, not just in my role as an ambassador but also in introducing this pioneering standard into my business. At my restaurant, LI-LY in Knutsford, Cheshire, we operate with complete transparency, and the more I can make customers feel confident in choosing to dine with us, the better. 

By showcasing that we are ‘Safe to Trade Approved’ and highlighting this throughout the customer journey – on social media, our website, the menu, at our door and in service – we can help guests feel even more confident.”

He added: “I view my restaurant as my home, and just like guests in our own house, I would never want them to have a bad experience. Being Safe to Trade Approved, along with the unrivalled level of support and confidence it provides, is phenomenal for both our customers and our business.”

Safe to Trade was developed in collaboration with independent industry experts and regulators, with audits being conducted by highly trained, competent, and impartial Environmental Health Practitioners from Shield Safety, a certification body for Safe to Trade.

Mark Flanagan, CEO of Safe to Trade, explains: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved in Safe to Trade to date. We are thrilled with the incredible response we have received already from food operators, regulators, and consumers. Ahead of the official regional launch this week, we have had over 1,300 food business locations enrolled and over 600 approved.

By aligning with the latest food safety requirements and incorporating ongoing recommendations, Safe to Trade responds to a growing demand for up-to-date and transparent information, strengthening trust between the public and food businesses.”

Speaking at the launch, John Barnes, Independent Governance Board member and former Head of Local Delivery at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), said: “This is a standard that I’ve wanted to see in the UK for many, many years. 

It has all the robust governance behind it from industry representatives and food regulators to ensure that it does the job that we want it to do – to safeguard customers and help protect businesses.”

The launch is being backed with a national marketing campaign, ‘Look for the Logo’, encouraging people to seek out those venues which have been ‘Safe to Trade Approved’, giving them confidence that a restaurant, bar, or takeaway is taking their safety seriously.

To make it easier for customers, food businesses are being encouraged to share their approved status with window stickers, on their websites, and on social media platforms.