Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) food safety investigators said yesterday they were "satisfied" Dunedin South Countdown — now under a national spotlight — was responding to its rat problem with urgency.
However, New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said investigations would continue over the weekend to assess whether further steps were necessary.
"We’ve not received further reports of rodents being discovered, but would expect to be notified if this were the case," Mr Arbuckle said.
Staff at the 323 Andersons Bay Rd Countdown blew the whistle after alleged inaction from management.
There were allegations food had been contaminated, which the company has denied.
Dunedin people canvassed on the street yesterday all said they would not be shopping at the supermarket any time soon.
Several voiced concerns about the upkeep of the store, while one person said it would take the store four to five months to earn back his trust.
The store appeared to be quiet yesterday; the usually busy car park was only about a quarter full.
Countdown was implementing a detailed list of corrective actions, he said.
These included regular store cleaning and further deep cleaning, additional bait stations, daily visits by a pest control contractor, and increased staff monitoring.
"Rats can contaminate foods and surfaces and should not be around food," he said.
"It is the responsibility of food businesses to minimise food safety risk, including having plans in place to manage pest incursions."
A Woolworths New Zealand spokeswoman said the company would not be making any further comment yesterday.
First Union organiser Angus Wilson said the union was working alongside staff, many of whom had been "rattled" by coming into contact with rats and rat droppings.
A Dunedin South Countdown staff member, who did not want to be named, said they had heard little from management since the news of the rat infestation became public and had learned more about it through the media.
They had not received any management correspondence on the matter.
"It would be nice if they could sort this," the employee said.
