Aims:  To establish the microbiological quality of cold ready‐to‐eat sliced meats and pâté from catering and retail premises, and investigate links hypothesized between foodborne Campylobacter infection and the consumption of cold sliced meats. Methods and Results:  A total of 4078 cold meat and pâté samples were collected and examined according to a standardized protocol. Comparison with published microbiological guidelines revealed that most ready‐to‐eat meat and pâté samples (75%) were of satisfactory/acceptable microbiological quality and 25% were of unsatisfactory/unacceptable quality. Two cold meat samples (<1%) were of unacceptable microbiological quality because of the presence of Campylobacter jejuni in 25 g and Listeria monocytogenes at 3·4 × 104 CFU g−1. Conclusions:  Acceptable microbiological quality was associated with premises where the management was trained in food hygiene and those that had hazard analysis in place. Poor microbiological quality was associated with storage above 8°C, presliced meats, infrequent cleaning of slicing equipment and poor control of practices that may lead to cross contamination. Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study provides important information about the microbiological quality of cold ready‐to‐eat meats and pâté. It also assists caterers, retailers, enforcement officers and policy makers to understand how different food safety practices affect microbiological quality.