Why Preventing Mice In Shops Is Vital

All business should have a plan for pest control. This is especially true if you run a food shop. These shops are highly attractive to mice. This is simply because they provide a feast of food for these pests. What’s more, mice in shops can cause other problems, such as the destruction of your reputation.

Good reasons to prevent mice in shops

Mice are able to enter through even the smallest hole or gap. In fact, these pests have been known to slip through gaps the size of a fifty pence coin. When these mice get in, they cause havoc. The most common scenario is when they get onto shelves and chew through packets to get to food. Remember, these pests have extremely sharp teeth. They can easily eat through materials like plastic, cardboard and paper.

Mice in shops can be disastrous for your business so you should always get an annual pest inspection. First of all, you cannot sell any food that has been contaminated by mice. This can end up costing your business thousands of pounds and may even drive you out of business. Mice leave behind bacteria and diseases when eating food. This can cause food poisoning and make customers seriously ill. In this case you may get in trouble with the health and safety authorities.

Another horror scenario is where mice chew into a packet, eat food, and then defecate. Customers may end up buying this food so you need to be pest free. If these people discover mice droppings, they will never buy anything from your shop again. Not only that, this will affect your reputation as news spreads and you are reported to the council.

Are mice only attracted to food?

Another problem with mice in shops is nesting materials. Mice are constantly on the lookout for materials with which to build their nests. Their favourite materials include things like cardboard, paper and other packing materials. The problem is that mice will tear apart the items in your shop to get at these materials. A final problem is simply the sighting of mice. The last thing you want is people spotting mice hiding in your shop. If this happens most people will leave.

What this is why it’s so important that you’re aware of mice, even if your shop does not sell food because they can pose a risk to your business. The bottom line is that mice in shops should be taken seriously. The best way to prevent this problem is to take out a pest control contract. When you do this pest inspectors will routinely visit your shop. These people will inspect for mice and also carry out mice prevention measures. This can include things like pest proofing your shop and setting traps. In the long run this is better than risking mice in your shop.