Food Safety Humor

FSPCA - Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance

Monday, September 25, 2023

Supermarkets Dealing with Pest Infestation Issues

Within the past month, there were serious reports of three different supermarkets facing pest infestation issues.  I find these things shocking.
  • A Harris Teeter store in Baltimore reopened after a thorough cleaning and implementing enhanced sanitation protocols after temporarily closing  last week due to an ongoing mouse infestation.
  • A Lucky grocery store in Novato, Calif., was shut down by the Marin County Health Department after evidence of rats.  "Public health officials reportedly received complaints about rodents and rodent droppings throughout the store, including the pet food aisle, deli section, produce section, and behind items in the office and restroom areas."
  •  An Atlanta Kroger - the "Georgia Department of Agriculture identified rodent droppings and urine spots in the storage area of a Kroger store in the Atlanta area. The inspector also identified where rats had been gnawing on products, creating burrows. After the inspection, workers were reportedly cleaning the loading dock area and patching up drain holes to keep out the rodents."
I wonder to what point does this get to before action is taken. When rodent activity is at a point where customers are seeing signs of rodents, or actually seeing rodents, it has gone too far.  Are employees not aware, or not concerned, or not empowered?   

Progressive Grocer
https://progressivegrocer.com/harris-teeter-baltimore-reopens-after-dealing-mouse-infestation
Harris Teeter in Baltimore Reopens After Dealing With Mouse Infestation
Kroger banner closed last week to initiate thorough cleaning and enhanced sanitation protocols
Marian Zboraj
Digital Editor

Harris Teeter

The McHenry Row Harris Teeter in Baltimore is now welcoming shopper back after a thorough cleaning and implementing enhanced sanitation protocols.

After temporarily closing its Baltimore store last week due to an ongoing mouse infestation, Harris Teeter reopened the store on Aug. 24 after a thorough cleaning and the implementation of enhanced sanitation protocols.

The Kroger-owned banner provided the following statement to Progressive Grocer: “After the diligent work of our Harris Teeter team, a thorough mitigation process by our professional pest control company, and requested collaboration from the Baltimore City Health Department, we are pleased to reopen [the] McHenry Row Harris Teeter location at 1801 Whetstone Way, Baltimore, Md., 21230, effective Thursday, Aug. 24 at 7 a.m.

“Harris Teeter takes the health and safety of our valued customers and associates very seriously, which is why we voluntarily closed the location to initiate a thorough cleaning and implement enhanced sanitation protocols.”

The grocer retailer said that all associates at the McHenry Row Harris Teeter were compensated for their hours scheduled during the closure.

Harris Teeter is also donating $1,000 to the Maryland Food Bank, to replace the funds that the food bank would have earned during the current Backpack Boosters Round Up campaign. Harris Teeter launched the Backpack Boosters Round Up Campaign in June to help provide nutritious meals and school supplies to students in need across Harris Teeter’s operating area. Shoppers were invited to round up their transactions to the nearest whole dollar until Aug. 22 to support this effort.

Additionally, the regional grocer donated $10,000 to the Maryland Food Bank in June to commemorate the expanded launch of its delivery service to customers across Baltimore and greater Maryland.

Meanwhile, another Kroger store recently had to deal with its own pest infestation, as reported by Atlanta News First. The Georgia Department of Agriculture identified rodent droppings and urine spots in the storage area of a Kroger store in the Atlanta area. The inspector also identified where rats had been gnawing on products, creating burrows. After the inspection, workers were reportedly cleaning the loading dock area and patching up drain holes to keep out the rodents.


https://progressivegrocer.com/california-lucky-supermarket-temporarily-shuts-down-due-pest-infestation
08/21/2023
California Lucky Supermarket Temporarily Shuts Down Due to Pest Infestation
Shoppers reportedly complained about seeing rats throughout store
Marian Zboraj
Digital Editor

Lucky supermarket
A Lucky grocery store in Novato, Calif., was shut down by the Marin County Health Department after evidence of rats.
A Lucky supermarket in in Novato, Calif., was forced to temporarily shut its doors last week, due to a rodent infestation.

A KRON4 photographer visited the Lucky store at 1761 Grant Avenue and encountered a “Closed” sign from the County of Marin Environmental Health Services.

“This facility was found to have violations of the California Health and Safety Code which constitute an immediate danger to public health or safety,” the sign said. “As a result, the permit to operate has been temporarily suspended and this facility has been ordered to remain closed until a written reinstatement of the permit has been issued.”

The sign, put up on Aug. 17, said that the violation was in the “insect/rodent control” category. Public health officials reportedly received complaints about rodents and rodent droppings throughout the store, including the pet food aisle, deli section, produce section, and behind items in the office and restroom areas.

The store reopened on Aug. 21 after conducting repairs and maintenance, as well as undergoing a thorough sanitation process. In a statement to Progressive Grocer, The Save Mart Cos., which owns the Lucky banner, said: “The Lucky Novato store team values and appreciates our shoppers and we welcome them back to the store. Lucky remains steadfast in our adherence to following food safety protocols and maintaining rigorous compliance with food safety standards, working closely with Marin County Environmental Health Services. We are committed to continue serving and investing in the Novato community.” 

Public Health officials say closures at big-chain grocery stores are rare, although not unheard of. 

Other supermarket banners that have recently encountered rodent troubles include a Kroger store in the Atlanta area, as reported by Atlanta News First. A few weeks ago, the Georgia Department of Agriculture identified rodent droppings and urine spots in the storage area of the Kroger on South Atlanta Road in Smyrna. The inspector also identified where rats had been gnawing on products, creating burrows.

Less than a day after an Atlanta News First investigation first uncovered the rat infestation, workers were reportedly cleaning the loading dock area and patching up drain holes to keep out the rodents.

Based in Modesto, Calif., The Save Mart Cos. operates more than 200 retail stores under the banners of Save Mart, Lucky California and FoodMaxx. The company also operates SMART Refrigerated Transport and is a partner in Super Store Industries. Save Mart is No. 52 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Cincinnati-based Kroger is No. 4 on The PG 100 and was also named to the publication’s Retailers of the Century list.

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