New Zealand Food Safety is investigating after a large mouse was seen eating cereal inside an Auckland supermarket over the weekend.
On Sunday, customers sighted the mouse lying amongst bags of Ricies cereal inside Countdown Pukekohe South.
A photo shows the plump rodent surrounded by bits and pieces of the popular breakfast.
NZ Food Safety (NZFS) deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle confirmed with Newshub that an investigation into the incident is taking place.
"NZFS has been in contact with Woolworths and has asked the company for further details, which we will review," he said.
"From time to time it is not unusual for rodents to find their way into supermarkets but they should not be in contact with food, or be evident to consumers.
Arbuckle added: "All food businesses are required to have pest management plans in place to address the risk."
One shopper, who spoke with the NZ Herald, said a woman walking past the mouse "looked as if she was gonna be sick".
The shopper said they received a "good fright" after the discovery and informed a staff member who was "pretty quick to clean it up".
A Woolworths spokesperson told Newshub they are currently looking into the sighting.
"We are currently investigating this rodent sighting at our Pukekohe South store alongside Rentokil and MPI NZ Food Safety," they said.
"Having hygienic stores is incredibly important to us and we are looking into this matter with urgency."
The discovery comes after almost 20 rats were caught inside the Dunedin South Countdown, after several sightings from October 2023 onwards.
The store reopened to the public in February 2024, after closing for a month while pest control was undertaken.
Other instances of rodents caught in supermarkets recently include a mouse scurrying around an Auckland Pak'nSave supermarket in February, and a mouse crawling on an uncovered bowl of deli salad in Christchurch's Eastgate Countdown in the same month.
