Does physical structure drive food safety behaviours of food handlers? A broken window theory perspective

Have you heard of the phrase ‘One broken window leads to another’? This is the idea behind the Broken Windows Theory (BWT), a criminological theory that suggests when a neighbourhood starts showing signs of neglect such as a broken window, graffiti or litter, it can encourage further crime and disorder.

In this guest blog, Dr Jan Mei Soon-Sinclair from the University of Central Lancashire and colleagues from Brazil who authored the research, take BWT and put this within a food safety context...

Practitioners will be aware of the significance of the fabric and physical structure of a food business establishment because of its foundational inclusion in food hygiene rating schemes. Without high standards of repair and cleanliness, business operators cannot achieve a desirable rating in these schemes. Previous research has shown that low levels of lighting, for example, can impact upon the identification of physical issues, something that practitioners will readily identify with.

By borrowing a concept from the world of anti-social behaviour and criminology, a recently published study from Brazil, with partnerships in UK, has explored the significance of structure in terms of wider food safety consequences. This study looked beyond just how physical structure helps or hinders operation, but also focused on how physical and environmental neglect might actually change the behaviour of food handlers themselves.

The novel research involved an assessment of 321 public school kitchens and sought to answer the question “could a food service environment showing visible signs of decay jeopardise the safety practices of food handlers?”. The study was designed to test whether physical structure was a driver of food handler's personal hygiene as well as food hygiene, ingredients storage and management and environmental hygiene. IA key finding from the paper was that neglected physical structure can significantly drive food safety behaviour, especially personal hygiene and environmental hygiene, and the results underscored the importance of maintaining optimal physical conditions in food service settings’.

One possible explanation for the findings is that visible signs of neglect – like messy shelves, broken tiles, or flickering lights – can make poor hygiene seem normal and even encourage bad habits. This supports the idea that disorder tends to lead to more disorder, making people less likely to follow the rules. The work environment plays a key role in shaping behaviour and is part of the well-known trio that influences how we act: what we think (cognitive), what we do (behavioural), and the environment around us.

For inspectors, this highlights the importance of observing not only critical control points, but also the overall state of the premises. Seemingly small signs of neglect can signal — and even trigger — bigger issues. Stay alert to the details: they may tell you more than meets the eye.

Thanks to the researchers behind the BWT for their input into this blog:

Jan Mei Soon-Sinclair University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
Isabela Gomes Canuto Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Limeira, Brazil
Diogo Thimoteo da Cunha Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Limeira, Brazil