Bug off: Six tips for a pest-free grocery store
Any food, water and shelter source can be an invitation for pests—and supermarkets have all three in abundance! Vermin such as rodents, flies, beetles and cockroaches don’t just wreak havoc on your inventory, they can also threaten food safety, damage customer relationships, tarnish your reputation and impact your bottom line. Left unchecked, even the smallest pest problem can rapidly escalate into a major issue that can undermine a grocer’s reputation.
Here, experts weigh in on key strategies to keep stores pest-free and a grocer’s integrity intact.
Seal them out before they sneak in
Given that mice can squeeze through gaps as small as a dime, sealing all holes, cracks and crevices along the store’s exterior is a critical first line of defence, says Adam Krpic, owner of Speedy Pest Control based in Mississauga, Ont., who counts several grocers among his regular clients. In addition to keeping doors and other openings closed—and installing pest- resistant door sweeps and screens where needed—he stresses the importance of maintaining outdoor property. “That means keeping garbage bagged and surrounding grasses cut or you’ll provide a place for pests to nest, whether that be insects or rodents,” he says.
Cleanliness counts - always!
Inside, store staff should be just as vigilant about keeping garbage bagged and off the floors, while cleaning spills and other messes quickly, say the experts. All food prep areas should be thoroughly cleaned daily, along with drains and those harder-to-reach spots under and inside equipment.
Catch the clues before the pests take over
Educate all staff on how to recognize and report pest sightings. As well as spotting signs of rodent droppings, (which can look like grains of rice) staff should watch for chew or gnaw marks on packaging or products, as well as webbing or other nesting materials. “If you see live insects flying around your products or produce, live rodents, stored product pests crawling on shelves or in open bulk products, you need to call a pest control professional immediately,” says Alice Sinia, an entomologist and quality assurance manager with Orkin Canada. She notes the severity of pest issues can also fluctuate with the seasons. Infestations of cockroaches, ants, spiders and filth flies peak in the warmer spring and/or summer months, for example, while rodents, small flies and store product pests are prominent year-round.
Check for pesty deliveries
Be sure to inspect all deliveries and if any signs of vermin are found, don’t hesitate to reject the shipment to prevent pests from getting into the store. Sinia also advises grocers to audit their suppliers from time to time by requesting pest control records and inspecting delivery trucks to ensure they are clean, pest-free and meet food safety standards.
Make pest control part of your business plan
A pest management professional can help solve a pest problem quickly and put in controls to prevent future issues. “The biggest mistake I see retailers make is trying to control pests by themselves,” says Sinia. “There is no single treatment or solution that will solve an infestation,
and if you don’t have the knowledge, it’s easy to think you’ve fixed the issue with one or two tools.” Krpic adds that a good pest management program provides proactive options to keep pests at bay in and outside the store, with periodic treatment after hours to avoid customer disruptions.
Own it, then fix it
If your pest problem goes viral via a customer’s social media post, be transparent about the problem and how you’re addressing it, says crisis management specialist Caroline Spivak, founder of Profile Communications, based in Toronto. “Once you’ve promptly acknowledged their concern, take the conversation offline so the world isn’t watching a back and forth that isn’t productive,” she says. Then, when you’ve investigated and fixed the issue, provide an update to tell your customers your remedy and plans for prevention. “People want to know the changes you made, which goes a long way in rebuilding trust,” Spivak says.
This article was first published in Canadian Grocer's September/ October 2025 issue.
