Summary Media reported that the footage from inside several shops showed chaos as shoppers swamped the supermarkets. Photo: Reuters
(Web Desk) – The chocolate hazelnut spread the world has come to love became the centre of chaos in France as police had to be called in after a 70% discount on Nutella caused ‘riots’ with shoppers rushing to supermarkets to make the most of the sale.
The discount offered by the Intermarché chain reduced the price of Nutella from €4.50 to €1.40 causing frenzy in supermarkets with scenes likened to those of riots, reported the Guardian.
Media reported that the footage from inside several shops showed chaos as shoppers swamped the supermarkets with the staff failing to control them.
Serieux Tout a pour du Nutella Emeute Nutella pic.twitter.com/UoNTmK78eE
— KENNY LE BON (kennyLebon) January 25, 2018
According to reports, while an employee at one of the supermarkets reportedly got a black eye after attempting to separate warring customers, shelves were emptied in 15 minutes in another.
French media reported that police had to be called in Ostricourt in northern France, where a fight had broken out following the sales.
“They are like animals. A woman had her hair pulled, an elderly lady took a box on her head, another had a bloody hand. It was horrible,” Le Progres newspaper reported a customer as saying.
The BBC reported that around 365 million kilos of Nutella is consumed every year in 160 countries around the world. Following the shopper riots in France, BBC reported that the firm ‘regretted Thursday’s violence’ but also added that the decision to offer discount had been unilaterally made by Intermarché.
