Bed Bugs in Supermarket

by Shelley
(Upstate NY)

Can bedbugs come home in supermarket bags and products?

Editor Response

It is possible, but not likely as these products come in sealed boxes and are often transported in trucks that only carry new products.

Bed bugs are not invisible. A quick inspection of anything you buy should indicate whether or not there is a problem. I'd look at some of the pictures on this site to familiarize yourself with what to look for.

It is more likely to bring bed bugs home when staying in a hotel, purchasing clothes in an infested store, or when getting new furniture or a mattress that was not sealed, and is carried in a truck that is used to take away the used furniture or mattresses.

That said, if you live in a bed bug infested city, and if the supermarket shares a building that is bed bug infested, then it is possible. You've probably read that bed bugs have been found in several well known clothing stores in New York City.