B&M fined £2m over mice infestations

B&M Retail Ltd has been fined £2m over mice infestations at three Birmingham stores where inspectors found rodent-gnawed foodstuffs and droppings near children's toys.

The company was prosecuted for food hygiene offences by Birmingham City Council after complaints led to inspections being carried out between November 2024 and October 2025.

Locations included St Andrew's Retail Park where officers found gnawed products on sale, the council said. Mouse infestations were also uncovered at Priory Square Shopping Centre and The Fort Shopping Park.

B&M said it was "deeply sorry for the failings identified" and had taken comprehensive action to "strengthen controls across our business".

The council said complaints included one from a member of the public "who reported seeing a mouse in the shop" at Priory Square.

Other transgressions there included urine contamination from rodents on food packaging and shelving, inadequate cleaning standards and structural defects allowing pest entry.

A Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice was served and the store was closed immediately, the council said.

A further inspection took place at B&M's store at The Fort Shopping Park in Erdington on 27 October 2025 following a complaint alleging a mouse infestation.

Officers found widespread evidence of mouse activity throughout the premises, including mouse droppings "in close proximity to children's toys on display", the council said.

The store was also closed due to the risks posed to public health.

St Andrew's Retail Park had been the first of the three sites visited by environmental health officers and followed "reports of pests on the premises".

The council said significant evidence of mouse activity was found by officers who went to the site on 11 November, 2024, and it led to a a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice being served.

The firm pleaded guilty to the offences at Birmingham Magistrates' Court and was fined £2m at a sentencing hearing on 13 July.

B&M Retail Limited was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £18,104 and a £2,000 victim surcharge. It was told to pay the fine and costs within 28 days.

"Residents rightly expect businesses operating in Birmingham to maintain high standards and provide safe environments for customers," said councillor Sam Forsyth, chair of the Licensing and Public Protection Committee.

She said the conditions found by the environmental health officers across the three stores were "unacceptable and required immediate intervention to protect the public".

Forsyth added: "This substantial court penalty reflects the seriousness of the offences and sends a clear message that businesses must take their responsibilities seriously."

B&M said in a statement: "We are deeply sorry for the failings identified in the three stores and have taken full responsibility.

"While food safety and pest-control procedures were in place in each store, those procedures were not followed. That should not have happened. We recognise that these failures were unacceptable and that we must learn from them."

A spokesperson said the company had since taken "comprehensive action to strengthen controls across our business", which included enhanced management oversight, a significant expansion of its pest-control capability; new digital monitoring processes and increased third-party pest control visits across its estate.

These changes were designed so issues were addressed promptly and consistently, they added.

"We remain fully committed to meeting high standards of food safety and maintaining safe, clean and hygienic stores," they said.

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