After the inspection
The smiley scheme – publicising inspection reports
The smiley scheme covers food shops and restaurants, and is part of the control and supervision carried out by the food authorities. The aim of the smileys is to give consumers a quick impression of how good each shop or restaurant is at complying with food legislation requirements. This makes it possible for customers to avoid enterprises that are not good at complying with such things as labelling or hygiene requirements.
Wholesale food enterprises do not receive a smiley, but is rated with a numeric value instead.
However both food shops, restaurants, and wholesale food enterprises may receive an élite smiley.
Food shops and restaurants who have received four happy smileys, and have not had any bad notes within the last 12 months, have earned the right to an élite smiley.
Wholesale food enterprises have earned the right to an élite smiley, if they have no bad notes on the last four inspection reports and within the last 12 months.
Shortly after an inspection visit, an enterprise receives an inspection report. In food shops and restaurants the report or the élite smiley must immediately be displayed where customers can see it. Customers must be able to see the smileys and read the text, even before entering the shop or restaurant.
If the enterprise has received a ban, the food control authority provides the enterprise with a streamer with the information that the enterprise is closed until further notice. The streamer also has to be displayed where customers can see it.
If the streamer or the report is not displayed where it can be seen and read, the enterprise may be fined – even if the report only contains happy smileys.
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 Smileys send a strong message to consumers:94 per cent are aware of the scheme, and 95 per cent consider it a good, or very good, idea. 81 per cent have indicated they would avoid a restaurant with a sad smiley. (A.C. Nielsen/AIM, oktober/november 2004) |
 You can read more about inspection reports and smileys in the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration booklet entitled ”Om Smiley og offentliggørelse”. The booklet is available (in Danish) at the website of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration: www.foedevarestyrelsen.dk/Publikationer/FaktaOmRegler/forside.htm |
Smileys on the Net
Inspection reports are published on the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration website, so that anyone may read the latest report for any food shop, wholesale food enterprise or restaurant in Denmark. The four most recent smileys are shown on the inspection report.
 You can get a good idea of what inspections by the food authorities focus on by going to the smiley-scheme website and looking at real inspection reports. For example, find a food shop, wholesale food enterprise or restaurant you know and read the most recent inspection report (in Danish). |