Shopper's 'disgusting' Listerine video sparks outrage

Questions have been raised over a video showing a shopper opening a bottle of Listerine, taking a sip, spitting back into it and returning it to the shelf.

In a video shared earlier this week, Twitter user “Bameron Nicole Smith” – from San Jose, California – walks through the oral care aisle of a Walmart, saying: “Girl, it has been one musty f***ing morning.”

Smith takes a Listerine bottle from the shelf, opens it, takes a swig and gargles before spitting the contents back inside.

“Mmm, nice and minty and fresh. Thank you guys,” Smith says and saunters off.

But many viewers said the ease at which Smith opened the container — seemingly without breaking the safety seal — suggested the footage was a social media stunt.

“I don’t care if it’s staged this s*** is still nasty and the fact that people are ok with doing this just for attention is some type of sickness,” one Twitter user said.

“Hey @Listerine , this is a pretty disgusting tampering of your product. Also looks like this may be in a @Walmart store. Sure hope you guys alert @US_FDA and find this disgusting person,” another social media punter said.

The new video emerges after a teen in Texas opened a tube of Blue Bell ice cream at Walmart and licked the top before placing it back inside the freezer.

Lufkin police eventually identified the woman as a teen from San Antonio and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department was handling the case.

In a Twitter photo, Smith posed with a bottle of Listerine, appearing to revel in the attention.

Another photo shows Smith holding up receipts from CVS and Walmart, suggesting the mouthwash was purchased.

Smith did not respond to an interview request from Yahoo Lifestyle.

Attention-seeking stunt or not, the video was regarded in the same light as the ice cream incident.

Walmart, Listerine and a spokesperson from the San Jose Police Department did not respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s media requests.

A Walmart representative told the Daily Mail they were “investigating this incident”.

“If someone tampers with a product and leaves it on the shelf, we will work with law enforcement to identify and prosecute those found responsible to the fullest extent of the law,” the representative said.

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