Understanding Rodent Activity Trends: Help Us Build the Bigger Picture
Recently, we were approached by a major UK food retailer with an important question:
“Do you have any data showing how rodent activity has changed over the past four years, both internally and externally?”
It is exactly the kind of question that highlights the increasing importance of data, insight, and industry-wide understanding, particularly when it comes to protecting public health, food safety, and business reputation.
However, as a trade association, we do not currently hold a centralised dataset that tracks these trends over time.
Turning a Gap into an Opportunity
Rather than seeing this as a limitation, we see it as an opportunity.
An opportunity to:
- Bring the industry together
- Capture real-world insights from those on the ground
- Build a clearer, collective picture of how rodent activity is evolving across the UK
Pest controllers are uniquely positioned to spot trends early. Whether it’s increased urban rat activity, seasonal fluctuations, changes linked to waste management issues, or the impact of environmental factors, your experience matters.
Why This Matters
Understanding changes in rodent activity isn’t just an academic exercise. It has real implications for:
- Food safety standards in retail and manufacturing
- Public health risk management
- Local authority planning and waste strategies
- Pest control business operations and resourcing
Without shared data, we rely on fragmented observations. With it, we can inform decisions, influence policy, and better support our members and the wider industry.
Have Your Say
To begin building this picture, we have launched a short industry survey aimed at pest control professionals across the UK.
Watch out for the survey on our social media channels and via email if you have not already seen it.
What Happens Next?
Once we have gathered enough responses, we will:
- Analyse the findings
- Share key trends and insights with members
- Provide a summary that can support discussions with stakeholders, including major retailers and industry partners
