Countdown to remain closed until Sunday at earliest

Warning, some people may find the following images distressing. 

Countdown Dunedin South will remain closed until Sunday at the earliest after another rat was caught at the supermarket today.

A Woolworths New Zealand spokesperson confirmed the extension. 

More photos emerged of the rat problem at the beleaguered supermarket yesterday.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said the "concerning" photos would form part of its ongoing investigation.

After two more rats were caught in Countdown Dunedin South yesterday, Woolworths New Zealand director of stores Jason Stockill said the store, at 323 Andersons Bay Rd, would remain closed until 48 hours had passed without a rat caught inside.

The store has been closed since Friday night and 24 rats have been caught at the premises since early this month.

Yesterday’s setback to reopening the store came on the same day the company was told MPI would launch an independent nationwide review of the company’s pest-management processes.

The additional photos supplied to the Otago Daily Times showed rat droppings in the store, including around a mixing bowl in the bakery and at the bottom of a box of chocolates.

In one photo a rat appears to be trapped in an upturned shopping basket.

The person who supplied the photos said they were taken at the store over the past four months by various staff.

A Woolworths spokeswoman said the company could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the photos.

But a staff member speaking anonymously said the photos appeared to be of the store.

Last month, Woolworths confirmed a photo of a rat in the deli section, supplied to the ODT, was taken at the store in November.

Yesterday, Mr Stockill said the company would fully co-operate with MPI’s independent review of the company’s pest-management processes.

"We would like to thank our customers and community for their understanding as we continue to address the rodent issue at Countdown Dunedin South," Mr Stockill said.

It yesterday confirmed two rodents had been caught at the store in the past 24 hours.

"Having a safe and hygienic store is incredibly important to us and we have agreed with New Zealand Food Safety [a division of MPI] that we will keep the store closed until there has been a 48-hour period with no captures in the store."

Deputy director-general of New Zealand Food Safety Vincent Arbuckle said the company was undertaking "all practical steps" to manage the issue.

Its staff continued to monitor the steps the company was taking.

If necessary corrective actions were not taken, the government body could use enforcement tools to correct the situation.

Different tools could be used to reflect the situation and could include closure of a food business, preventing the sale of food, requiring improvements to a food business and prosecution.

"With regard to Countdown Dunedin South, we have requested daily updates so we can assess if control measures are effective," he said.

"Today we advised Woolworths that we will initiate a review of its pest-management and maintenance processes across its New Zealand operation by a third-party verifier appointed under the Food Act 2014."

The review was launched after video of a mouse in a deli at Christchurch’s Countdown Eastgate emerged.

Investigations into the Christchurch incident were continuing, but it appeared proper procedures were not followed immediately after the mouse was spotted and the food in the deli counter was not disposed of immediately, the ministry said.

Mr Arbuckle said the ministry was not aware of the photos supplied to the ODT yesterday.

"They are concerning and will form part of our ongoing investigation."