Shocking discovery forces Woolworths-owned store in New Zealand to shut down
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In a shocking turn of events, a Woolworths-owned supermarket in New Zealand has been forced to close its doors due to a rampant rodent infestation.
The Countdown store, located in Dunedin South, has become the centre of a viral sensation after photos of rats casually perched on store shelves were shared online.
The unsettling images, which show at least two rats seemingly at ease among the store's products, have sparked widespread concern among customers.
This prompted a major investigation into Woolworths' pest-management processes across its New Zealand operation.
The Dunedin South store is a subsidiary of Woolworths, one of Australia's largest supermarket chains.
The incident, however, was not a one-off.
According to a staff member, the store has been dealing with a rodent problem for several months. One employee even reported seeing a rat darting across the chillers.
In the week following the store's closure, a staggering 24 rats have been caught, according to reports.
The store will remain closed until there is a 48-hour period within which no rodents are detected, ensuring the safety and hygiene of the premises before welcoming customers back.
Meanwhile, in another Countdown store in Eastgate, Christchurch, a mouse was photographed scurrying over the potato salad in the deli section.
This incident has further intensified the scrutiny of Woolworths' pest-control measures.
Vincent Arbuckle, New Zealand Food Safety's Deputy Director-General, stated that the investigation would provide assurances regarding the supermarket giant's pest-control systems.
'Food safety is our top priority, and we will always take swift action to protect consumers,' Arbuckle said.
‘Our investigations into the Christchurch incident are continuing. However, it appears proper procedures were not followed immediately after the mouse was spotted.’
‘We would expect the food in the deli counter to have been disposed of immediately.’
He added that customers have the right to expect high standards of pest management and hygiene in their grocery stores.
Jason Stockhill, Woolworths New Zealand's director of stores, apologised ‘for any distress and inconvenience this issue is causing our community’.
'Having a safe and hygienic store is incredibly important to us, and we have agreed with New Zealand Food Safety that we will keep the [Dunedin] store closed until there has been a 48-hour period with no captures in the store,' he said.
‘We would like to apologise for any distress and inconvenience this issue is causing our community.’
‘We continue to work closely with New Zealand Food Safety and Rentokil and will provide regular updates as needed,’ he added.
We'd like to think supermarkets store items in hygienic facilities before being sold to the public.
But there’s no way of telling for sure, is there?
In a previous story, a former employee of Coles discovered something unusual at the company’s distribution centre: A large number of rodents had infested the facility.
He shared photos and videos of the rats inside the warehouse for everyone to know what was happening. You can read more about this story here.
Another incident transpired at a Coles supermarket when a Tim Tams packet had distinct nibble marks on it.
The packet, which was on clearance sale for $1.80, had been torn through, with at least two of the coconut cream biscuits inside partially eaten.
The culprit? Likely a mouse or rat with a sweet tooth. Read more about this story here.
Have you ever encountered a similar situation in your local supermarket? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.
The Countdown store, located in Dunedin South, has become the centre of a viral sensation after photos of rats casually perched on store shelves were shared online.
The unsettling images, which show at least two rats seemingly at ease among the store's products, have sparked widespread concern among customers.
This prompted a major investigation into Woolworths' pest-management processes across its New Zealand operation.
A Woolworths-owned supermarket in New Zealand was closed due to rat infestation. Credit: Shutterstock
The Dunedin South store is a subsidiary of Woolworths, one of Australia's largest supermarket chains.
The incident, however, was not a one-off.
According to a staff member, the store has been dealing with a rodent problem for several months. One employee even reported seeing a rat darting across the chillers.
In the week following the store's closure, a staggering 24 rats have been caught, according to reports.
The store will remain closed until there is a 48-hour period within which no rodents are detected, ensuring the safety and hygiene of the premises before welcoming customers back.
Meanwhile, in another Countdown store in Eastgate, Christchurch, a mouse was photographed scurrying over the potato salad in the deli section.
This incident has further intensified the scrutiny of Woolworths' pest-control measures.
Vincent Arbuckle, New Zealand Food Safety's Deputy Director-General, stated that the investigation would provide assurances regarding the supermarket giant's pest-control systems.
'Food safety is our top priority, and we will always take swift action to protect consumers,' Arbuckle said.
‘Our investigations into the Christchurch incident are continuing. However, it appears proper procedures were not followed immediately after the mouse was spotted.’
‘We would expect the food in the deli counter to have been disposed of immediately.’
Multiple footages of rodent infestation led to the closure of Countdown. Credit: Newshub New Zealand
He added that customers have the right to expect high standards of pest management and hygiene in their grocery stores.
Jason Stockhill, Woolworths New Zealand's director of stores, apologised ‘for any distress and inconvenience this issue is causing our community’.
'Having a safe and hygienic store is incredibly important to us, and we have agreed with New Zealand Food Safety that we will keep the [Dunedin] store closed until there has been a 48-hour period with no captures in the store,' he said.
‘We would like to apologise for any distress and inconvenience this issue is causing our community.’
‘We continue to work closely with New Zealand Food Safety and Rentokil and will provide regular updates as needed,’ he added.
We'd like to think supermarkets store items in hygienic facilities before being sold to the public.
But there’s no way of telling for sure, is there?
In a previous story, a former employee of Coles discovered something unusual at the company’s distribution centre: A large number of rodents had infested the facility.
He shared photos and videos of the rats inside the warehouse for everyone to know what was happening. You can read more about this story here.
Another incident transpired at a Coles supermarket when a Tim Tams packet had distinct nibble marks on it.
The packet, which was on clearance sale for $1.80, had been torn through, with at least two of the coconut cream biscuits inside partially eaten.
The culprit? Likely a mouse or rat with a sweet tooth. Read more about this story here.
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