Rodents are number one pest problem for hospitality and catering SMEs

That's according to new research from Rentokil. The research from the experts in pest control shows that in these sectors 19% of small and medium businesses, almost one in five, have encountered a pest problem in the last year. The majority of hospitality business owners surveyed are concerned about the damage a pest infestation could cause to their reputation. A huge 86% of hospitality businesses surveyed cited damage to reputation as a key concern followed closely by customer relationships (82%) and cost in terms of trading lost (82%). Rentokil is calling all employers to engage with staff effectively so they fully understand their role in reducing the threat of pests at work. Looking at what causes pest infestations, 80% of hospitality businesses surveyed believe a lack of effective cleaning and maintenance can attract pests to a premise. Keeping waste in rubbish bins overnight also impacts on pests with 73% of businesses in this sector citing this as a reason for probable infestations compared to the survey average of 64%. Rodents emerge as the key pest in the hospitality environment, with 65% of those businesses surveyed reporting mice (36%) and rats (29%) on their premises. Ants are also highlighted as a common pest in this sector with 21% experiencing an ant problem. Savvas Othon, technical director at Rentokil Pest Control explained more: " A business' reputation is it's most important asset so it's understandable that hospitality and catering businesses worry about the impact an infestation can have on them. Pests can also cause distress to employees from gnawing at computer cables, damaging and soiling products in store-rooms or contaminating food in kitchens. "At the heart of preventing an infestation is understanding and assessing the factors contributing to the risk of pest problems in your premises and dealing with them immediately. This is the most effective way to avoid the long-term consequences that a pest problem in your business can bring."