A supermarket-flavoured rodent lure has been released by a Kiwi trapping business, after mouse and rat problems at several supermarkets around Aotearoa.
Goodnature launched its toxin-free lure, scented with deli meat, bread crumbs and potato salad, on Friday.
Company founder Craig Bond said it's more than just a cheeky dig.
"Right now New Zealand supermarkets are putting out boxes and boxes of toxins in response to this rat plague, and that's even grosser than a mouse running across a potato salad," he said.
"It'll kill the rats and mice, but it'll also kill all the awesome wildlife living around the supermarkets as well."
Bond said the lure was an alternative to rat or mouse poison.
Goodnature CEO Dave Shoemack said supermarkets aren't the only target for hungry rodents.
"We tend to think of rats and mice as being a winter problem, but our customers and trap data are telling us a different story this year."
Shoemack said pests are moving inside earlier than normal, "thanks to this summer's extreme weather events driven by climate change and El Niño".
Woolworths provides an update
On Friday, Woolworths stores director Jason Stockill said in a statement the company takes food safety and pest control seriously.
"While it is normal for them [pests] to attempt to enter food premises, it's our responsibility to do everything possible to keep them out and remove them if they do enter," he said.
Stockill also apologised to customers for any inconvenience.
All 194 Woolworths/Countdown stores have pest management plans, and the company is being assisted by industry specialists, Rentokil and Haumaru Kai Aotearoa NZ Food Safety, he added.
"However recent events have highlighted that there are improvements we can make to ensure our processes and procedures are followed."
The company has reminded all teams about pest management procedures, and will review how issues are escalated.
Senior leadership will also visit all stores in person.
Recent rodent problems
It comes after a series of supermarket infestations across the country in recent weeks.
Another 13 rats were caught at Countdown Ōtepoti/Dunedin South at the weekend.
Stockill told Newshub on Wednesday the rodent problem at that store is still being worked on, but all pest entry sites have been sealed.
And at Countdown Eastgate, in Ōtautahi/Christchurch, a mouse was filmed crawling over salads in the deli department last week.
But Countdown isn't the only supermarket brand to have a rodent headache.
On Tuesday, a Rānui woman told Newshub she filmed a mouse scurrying down an aisle at Pak'nSave Lincoln Rd, in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland.
"Me and my mate were just shopping, and then she pointed out the mouse and said: 'Omg is that a mouse?' And that's when I noticed it was crawling along the aisle."
Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard told Newshub on Tuesday vermin in supermarkets is "not a good look".
"I know the Food Safety officials have been working with Countdown and progressing on how they are going to remove the problem in those stores," he said.
