Intermarché supermarket closed due to vermin

An Intermarché supermarket on Chaussée de Forest in Saint-Gilles has been temporarily closed by the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) following hygiene concerns noted during an inspection.

Those concerns include droppings from vermin and packaging that had been gnawed by pests, Bruzz reports.

“We unfortunately had to close the shop after traces of pests were found,” said FASFC spokeswoman Hélène Bonte.

“It's about faeces and gnawed packaging. There was a complaint about that. But the shop had already received a warning because the previous inspection had found shortcomings in terms of general cleanliness.”

Bonte went on to explain that having pests in a supermarket poses risks to customers' health, and that “mice and rats carry diseases”.

FASFC said that the store’s management was willing to tackle the issue and that the operator had already called in specialised extermination firms.

How long the shop will remain closed depends on how quickly the operator can fix the problem.

In addition to exterminating the pests, all cracks and crevices through which the animals can enter the shop must be sealed. A lot of products will also have to be disposed of.

“The operator will have to sort this out and contact us so we can check whether the supermarket can reopen,” Bonte added.