Some shoppers are fed up with their local Kroger grocery store recently. A trip through the snack, cereal and bread aisles revealed holes torn by dozens of products on the shelves, leading them to believe the location had a major mouse problem.
The local health department in Elkhart, Ind., was notified on July 6, and a subsequent investigation showed many mice in the back of the warehouse, although the department did not classify it as an infestation, according to a WSBT news report.
“They do have a problem, but the problem is they cleaned up the problem in the back room where the dry goods are stored. So now, like any other issue, they come out to the store and that’s why people see it,” said the Elkhart County Health Administrator said.
Images of the mice’s destruction across the store spread like wildfire around Facebook. Many customers are shocked that the Kroger location would remain open while the vermin were on the rampage.
A representative at Kroger said WSBT it complies with provincial health advisories and will take all necessary precautions to get rid of its mouse problem.
“Clean stores are an essential element of Kroger’s corporate values, so we were not happy to discover the concern. We immediately ordered improvements to the store,” the representative said. “We are making operational and structural upgrades, and we have a new pest control company to address any needs. We are taking all the necessary steps to meet the high expectations of our customers and the high standards we set for each store. “
According to the CDC, there are a range of diseases that can be transmitted both directly and indirectly from rodents. Hantaviruses, found in North American rodents, can cause a serious lung disease that can be fatal and salmonella are both found in mouse feces.
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As the investigation continues, Kroger and county officials are setting out more mousetraps, but the problem won’t go away overnight.
Kroger isn’t the only grocery chain experiencing rodent issues. A February rat infestation hundreds of Family Dollar stores closed and previously caused a major product recall Dollar Tree came out in March as another victim of catastrophe. Sanitation efforts ended up costing the discount grocery chain $34 million simply by being located near the contaminated Family Dollar distribution center in Arkansas.
Amber Lake
Amber Lake is a staff writer at Eat This, Not That! and has a degree in journalism from UNF in Jacksonville, Florida. Read more