Parts of the Atlantic Superstore at 465 University Ave. in Charlottetown remain closed more than a month after a customer complaint prompted a provincial public-health order halting in-store production in the bakery and deli.
Public-health order still in force
P.E.I.'s chief public health office received a complaint in June after a shopper found mouse droppings in a bag of buns. On June 4 the province issued an order pausing production in the two areas while environmental health officers inspected the premises.
"The criteria that we're looking for — for the pest infestation to be eliminated — has not been met yet," said Tanya O'Brien, director of environmental health.
O'Brien said the store has shown progress and the province is receiving daily pest-control reports for the entire store. Environmental health officials will continue to make unannounced drop-in visits to ensure steps taken by the store prevent further rodent entry and protect food and food-contact surfaces from contamination.
What remains closed and what's being monitored
At present, only in-house production in the bakery and the deli is paused; other parts of the supermarket continue to operate. Provincial officials have not provided a date for when those sections might reopen, saying the reopening will depend on meeting the criteria set out in the public-health order.
- Complaint received: June (customer found droppings in buns)
- Public-health order issued: June 4 (in-house bakery and deli production paused)
- Current status: bakery and deli remain closed; other store areas open
- Province action: daily pest-control reports and unannounced inspections
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Store | Atlantic Superstore, 465 University Ave., Charlottetown |
| Sections closed | Bakery and deli (in-house production) |
| Action required | Elimination of pest infestation and measures to prevent rodent entry |
A Loblaw spokesperson noted the company remains confident in the safety of the products it sells and said pest-control firms are working to eliminate the rodents. The public-health office, however, emphasised that reopening depends on meeting specific criteria to ensure food safety.
For shoppers, the situation means many familiar prepared and fresh items produced on-site remain unavailable until inspectors are satisfied. Customers seeking updates should look for notices at the store and any public statements from the chief public health office as officials continue their review.
This developing public-health measure underscores the role of regular inspections and reporting in protecting food safety at large grocery operations. Officials said they will continue monitoring the site until the province's criteria for reopening are met.
