How Cold Should Your Fridge Be in the UK?

Keep the fridge at 5°C or below

The UK Food Standards Agency recommends 5°C or below; Food Standards Scotland recommends a fridge temperature between 0°C and 5°C. A thermometer is more reliable than the number on a fridge dial.

Cool food promptly

Put cooked foods into the fridge as quickly as practicable, generally within one to two hours. Split large portions to help food cool. Avoid overfilling the fridge so cold air can circulate.

Frozen food

For routine frozen storage, a freezer set to −18°C is recommended. Freezing does not undo mishandling before freezing.

Regional reference: These pages use UK food-safety authorities, not US storage figures. Guidance assumes appropriate temperature and handling; it cannot confirm that a particular food is safe. Follow any product use-by date and manufacturer storage instructions.

Sources: FSA: Chilling food ↗ · Food Standards Scotland: Chilling ↗