Rotorua's Countdown on Fenton St was evacuated due to a gas leak.
A witness who was shopping at the time said at about 6.20pm there was an announcement on the speaker to evacuate the building and that it wasn't a fire drill.
"We were ushered out and told to move away from the building and move the cars away.
"Fire services arrived within minutes and two fire trucks arrived."
A Rotorua fire station spokesman said they were called out there for a gas leak which was now sorted.
