Asda, Aldi, Tesco, Lidl, and Iceland are among the major supermarkets currently failing food hygiene inspections in Birmingham and Solihull, according to the latest ratings from local authorities.
Food hygiene ratings are conducted at random by local authorities, analysing cleanliness of facilities and pest control within a report. Other factors taken into consideration include food storage, food management, and general hygiene.
Ratings are assessed on a scale of '0' (urgent improvement necessary) to '5' (very good). Anything under a score of '3' (generally satisfactory) is considered a fail from authorities. While no supermarket has the lowest-possible rating, some hold scores of '1' (major improvement necessary) and '2' (improvement necessary).
Birmingham's Failing Supermarkets
In Birmingham, several stores have received failing ratings:
- Aldi – 273 Stratford Road, Sparkbrook, B11 1AD – rated '2', last inspected 6 January 2025.
- Lidl – 644 Kingsbury Road, Tyburn, B24 9PJ – rated '2', last inspected 31 August 2025.
- Iceland – 15-17 Northfield Shopping Centre, Bristol Road South, B31 2JU – rated '1', last inspected 29 October 2024.
Solihull's Failing Supermarkets
In Solihull, two major stores have also failed:
- Asda – 341 Bosworth Drive, Fordbridge, B37 5EX – rated '2', last inspected 29 March 2026.
- Tesco – 1505 Stratford Road, Shirley, B90 4EN – rated '2', last inspected 28 March 2026.
These ratings were current as of August 13, according to the report.
Retailers Respond to Hygiene Ratings
An Asda spokesperson said: “We can reassure our customers that the issues identified during the inspection of our Fordbridge store five months ago have since been rectified. We will be applying for a re-rating and expect the outcome to reflect the high standards we maintain across our stores.”
A Lidl GB spokesperson said: "As a responsible food retailer, we are committed to providing customers with food that is not only of maximum freshness and high-quality but is also safe to eat. To do so, we implement rigorous policies and procedures that are regularly reviewed and challenged internally. We were therefore disappointed to hear that our usual high standards were not met on this occasion. Following the findings identified during the inspection, we liaised closely with Birmingham City Council. In addition, we provided additional training to our store team alongside enhanced monitoring to ensure that our expected high standards are being maintained."
A Tesco spokesperson said: "We set ourselves the highest store standards and take hygiene extremely seriously, with comprehensive cleaning and food safety processes in place across all of our stores. The majority of our stores have a hygiene rating of 5, the highest rating, and we are working hard to address all the recommendations made during the store inspection as soon as possible."
Aldi and Iceland were approached for comment but had not responded at the time of writing.
