Bakeries and stores being forced to close more often due to pests

Bakeries, neighborhood supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and other establishments are being forced to close more often because inspectors have seen pests crawling around. This happened 35 times in the first five months of the year, which is more than the whole of 2023, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) said this week.

Around 13 businesses were urgently closed in Amsterdam last year. This year, that number was already at 14 by the end of May. Four locations in Zaandam were closed since the beginning of this year, compared to three in the entirety of last year.

The NVWA said that mice were the pests found most often. The presence of rats and cockroach infestations were also seen with more frequency.

These pests can carry diseases, which they can spread via their feces. Companies that were affected by an infestation have to throw away all of the contaminated food, clean their property thoroughly, and take measures to prevent the pests from returning.