Ixelles (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Lidl Ixelles was closed on April 10, 2025, after FAVV found rodents. Spokesperson Hélène Bonte called it a serious health risk. The store will reopen after cleaning, renovation, and reinspection.
A Lidl supermarket in Ixelles, Belgium, was closed on April 10, 2025, because of a serious food safety issue. Inspectors from the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) found evidence of rodents inside the store.
Officials indicated that having rodents within a food retail setting poses a large health threat since the animals carry infectious diseases such as salmonella and leptospirosis. People may easily spread the disease since rodents contaminate food, according to them.
The FAVV spokesperson, Hélène Bonte, highlighted the severity of the case, indicating that rodents represent an “immediate and serious risk to the consumer” because of their ability to spread dangerous illnesses. Because of the health risk, the FAVV decided to close the store immediately.
Why did Lidl Ixelles close, and what steps are being taken?
According to the officials, the Lidl supermarket in Ixelles will need to clean and disinfect the entire store and put in place a plan to prevent rodents from coming back. They also need to prove that they are meeting all the health standards.
“The store can apply for a new permit and can then possibly open again after we have gone for an inspection,”
Says Bonte.
Lidl confirmed to BRUZZ that their store in Ixelles had to close because of a problem with rodents. The store informed them that they had already scheduled a renovation for the store but would now accelerate the process. They intend to have the store appear better and also improve shopping conditions for their customers.
They are also going to fix the rodent problem so that the store can be safe and clean. Lidl said they will do everything they can to make sure the store meets all the necessary health standards and reopens as soon as possible.
Lidl said they will do more than just renovate the store. They will also clean everything very carefully to make sure there are no more rodents. They want to make sure this problem doesn’t happen again.
Once the renovations, cleaning, and pest control are done, Lidl will ask the FAVV to check the store again. Only if the FAVV says it’s okay will the store be allowed to open again. Lidl said they want to show customers that they care about food safety and want to make sure their stores are safe.
