Woman caught on camera licking products at Alta. grocery store, raises COVID-19 concerns

CALGARY -

After a video of a woman licking products at a No Frills store in Innisfail, Alta. went viral, the company in charge says all customers are safe.

In a TikTok video that began circulating on Saturday, a woman is recorded as she walks through a number of aisles in John's No Frills on 43 Avenue.

As the woman proceeds through the store, she picks up a number of products and licks them before throwing them back down or into the air.

"I licked it all," she says to someone off-screen as she proceeds. "I am so done with COVID."

By Sunday afternoon, the video has been viewed more than 1 million times.

While the store has provided no comment about the situation, the head office of Loblaw Companies Ltd. offered the following statement:

"We are aware of the incident and have been in touch with the store who has assured that all affected products have been discarded and extra sanitization has taken place. While unfortunate, these types of incidents are rare. We commend the team at the store for their swift and thoughtful action to keep everyone safe and healthy at this time."

RCMP say they have not had any reports about the incident so far.

CTV News has reached out to the poster of the video for details on what could have prompted the incident.

It's the latest situation where a member of the public has acted out against public health guidelines in Canada.

More than a week ago, a man who coughed on a server at a Calgary bar was convicted of assault.

Kyle Pruden, 35, was at the Black Swan Pub in Calgary in November 2020 and was attempting to cash out his $160 winning from a video lottery terminal.

When a staff member told him it couldn't be done because there wasn't enough cash, court documents indicate he coughed at her and asked "is this because of COVID?"

In the decision, released on Nov. 5, Justice Heather Lamoureux cited three other cases of individuals who were convicted after coughing on others during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In early October, two women became aggressive with staff at a Saskatoon restaurant when they were refused entry based on the fact they could not provide a proof of vaccination.

At that point, staff intervened, leading to one of the women assaulting a worker and a customer.

Once they threatened them with a weapon, which turned out to be a pellet gun, police were dispatched to the scene.

The women left before police arrived.

(With files from the Canadian Press and CTV Saskatoon)