Make a complaint about a food business
If you've purchased food from a business in Wirral and have a concern, you can report it to us. In many cases, the quickest way to resolve the issue is by contacting the business directly. Most businesses take customer feedback seriously and will want to put things right. If you feel comfortable doing so, we recommend reaching out to them first.
What can we investigate?
- unfit or grossly contaminated food
- foods containing foreign bodies, for example, metal and glass
- if you think you have suspected food poisoning from food bought in Wirral, read the below information before making a complaint
Suspected food poisoning
We operate a risk-based inspection programme for food businesses across the borough to help ensure that all food sold is safe to eat.
However, from time to time, people may experience symptoms such as sickness or diarrhoea, which they suspect could be food poisoning from a recent meal. In some cases, a GP may suggest food poisoning based on the symptoms presented.
It’s a common misconception that food poisoning is always caused by the last meal someone ate. In reality, different types of foodborne bacteria have varying incubation periods; meaning symptoms can appear several days later, sometimes even 7 to 10 days after consuming the contaminated food. Viral infections tend to cause symptoms more quickly, and normally symptoms subside within 48 hours.
The only way to confirm food poisoning is through laboratory testing of a faecal sample, which your GP can request if they suspect food poisoning. Without laboratory confirmation, there is limited action we can take. The UK Health Security Agency will notify us if an illness of concern is identified through stool samples and we may contact you to complete a detailed questionnaire if this is the case.
If you believe you’ve become ill after eating food from a local business, please let us know. We will log your concern and may investigate further, especially if we receive similar reports. However, confirmed test results are crucial because they help us identify what to look for during inspections.
Food hygiene ratings
Wirral Council regularly inspects all food businesses in Wirral to check that they are safe and hygienic. Based on these inspections they are given a food hygiene rating. You can use the link below to check local ratings.