Shoppers were shocked when they saw two ravenous rats clambering over fresh pastries in a London Sainsbury’s.
In footage captured by Anthony Mitson, two rats are seen scurrying over croissants before running back up the metal rack to hide behind a fridge containing milk and juice.
The video was filmed at the Sainsbury’s on Essex Road in Islington.
The store is temporarily closed for deep cleaning, a Sainsbury’s spokesperson told indy100.
The spokesperson said: “We have strict processes in place to deter pests. Our Essex Road store is temporarily closed for deep cleaning and to help pest control investigate this sighting and introduce additional preventative measures.
“We’re sorry for the inconvenience this will cause our customers, and we will reopen as soon as we can.”
The video has gone viral on social media and has been reshared widely across Twitter, Instagram, and neighborhood forums such as NextDoor.
Some said they were disgusted by the video, with others saying this is the reason pastries should be covered in stores:
Some could see the funny side of the incident (although we assume this is because the Essex Road store isn’t their local shop):
Over lockdown, these whiskered critters have been getting more and more comfortable letting themselves into our homes and businesses.
Spoilt for choice after running the streets during the pandemic, they have developed more refined palates and are no longer content ripping into bin bags. By the looks of the video, this particular family of rats is content with croissants and didn’t bother making their way to the cereal aisle to get their paws on the Mice Krispies.