Primark customer stunned after mouse seen scurrying through store pillow section
A Primark customer has spoken of his shock after discovering a live mouse trapped inside the plastic packaging of a pillow at the retailer’s flagship store in Birmingham city centre. The unsettling moment, caught on video, has since sparked concern about hygiene standards inside the busy high street shop.
The incident happened on Tuesday when Giorgio, an Italian man who now lives in Moseley, was browsing the store’s homeware section. While looking at a £12 memory foam pillow, he noticed something unusual inside the transparent sealed bag. What initially appeared to be movement quickly became something far more disturbing.
“I was stunned,” Giorgio said of the moment he realised there was a mouse inside the packaging. He immediately began filming, capturing footage that shows the small rodent scurrying around inside the pillow bag, apparently trying to find a way out.
After making the discovery, Giorgio said he alerted members of staff, who he claimed were just as shocked as he was. Despite reporting it, the experience left a lasting impression. He admitted that he walked out of the store feeling deeply uneasy and said it had changed how he views shopping for everyday items. He explained that he now feels he must “wash everything” he buys in the future, even if it appears to be safely wrapped.
Not everyone who witnessed the scene reacted with the same concern. Giorgio recalled, “One more customer saw it and he laughed and walked away,” suggesting that while some shoppers were disturbed, others appeared unfazed by the sight.
The situation reportedly escalated beyond the original discovery. In a second video filmed inside the store, the mouse can be seen roaming freely before jumping into a nearby basket filled with more pillows. Giorgio claimed that the animal seemed comfortable in the area and suggested it may have been there for some time.
“The mouse went in there and there were sweet wrappers inside that he was eating,” he said, adding to concerns that food waste may have been attracting rodents. He also described signs that suggested the mouse had made itself at home. “There was a small box underneath the cushions and that was where the mouse made his nest,” he said.
The videos quickly drew attention online, raising questions about cleanliness and pest control in one of the retailer’s most prominent stores. For many viewers, the idea of a rodent being found not just in the shop but inside sealed product packaging was particularly alarming.
Primark has since responded to the incident. A spokesperson for the company said it was taking the matter seriously and confirmed that action was being taken to address the problem. “We expect all our stores to operate to the highest standards of cleanliness and safety, and we are concerned to hear of this report,” the spokesperson said.
They added, “We are taking urgent steps within the store to address this with minimal disruption to customers and colleagues, but in the meantime, we are open as usual.” For Giorgio, however, the experience has already left its mark, serving as an unpleasant reminder that even familiar retail spaces can sometimes hold unwelcome surprises.
READ NEXT
- Princess Beatrice and Eugenie called ‘Collateral Damage’ of Epstein scandal, says royal expert
- Elijah Wood appears at Sundance Anti-ICE Rally, calling the situation ‘Deeply Disturbing’
- Primark customer stunned after mouse seen scurrying through store pillow section
- Thieves Crash Stolen SUV Into Store, Steal About $1 Million in Jewelry
- Natalie Portman slams Oscars’ double standards ahead of 2026 ceremony