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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/26/ce-nest-pas-normal-french-shoppers-bra-over-discounted-nutella
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| 'They are like animals': French shoppers brawl over cut-price Nutella | 'They are like animals': French shoppers brawl over cut-price Nutella |
| (21 days later) | |
| France has seen nothing like it: supermarket aisles of brawling customers throwing punches, pulling hair and shoving the elderly out of the way. | France has seen nothing like it: supermarket aisles of brawling customers throwing punches, pulling hair and shoving the elderly out of the way. |
| A decision by the Intermarché store chain to offer a hefty discount on jars of Nutella – France’s favourite chocolate spread – caused near riots in shops around the country. | A decision by the Intermarché store chain to offer a hefty discount on jars of Nutella – France’s favourite chocolate spread – caused near riots in shops around the country. |
| Police were reportedly called as fights broke out among swarming customers grabbing 950g jars of Nutella reduced from €4.50 to €1.41, a 70% discount. | Police were reportedly called as fights broke out among swarming customers grabbing 950g jars of Nutella reduced from €4.50 to €1.41, a 70% discount. |
| How did France, gastronomic capital of the world, sink to brawls over Nutella? | Nigel Kendall | |
| In one store, a member of staff was punched in the eye while trying to separate warring customers. In another, shoppers cleared shelves in 15 minutes. | In one store, a member of staff was punched in the eye while trying to separate warring customers. In another, shoppers cleared shelves in 15 minutes. |
| “They are like animals. One woman had her hair pulled. An elderly lady took a box on her head. Another had a bloody hand,” one customer said. | “They are like animals. One woman had her hair pulled. An elderly lady took a box on her head. Another had a bloody hand,” one customer said. |
| Queues had formed outside many Intermarché supermarkets on Thursday, reminiscent of the first days of the sales, and customers were limited to three pots each. | Queues had formed outside many Intermarché supermarkets on Thursday, reminiscent of the first days of the sales, and customers were limited to three pots each. |
| In one Intermarché in the Moselle in eastern France, a member of staff reported: “People were piling in, they knocked everything over and broke stuff. It was an orgy … we were on the point of calling the police.” | In one Intermarché in the Moselle in eastern France, a member of staff reported: “People were piling in, they knocked everything over and broke stuff. It was an orgy … we were on the point of calling the police.” |
| In another store, staff said they had sold in one go the number of Nutella jars normally sold in three months. “They were fighting over it … at the tills there was only Nutella,” one told Le Progrès newspaper. | In another store, staff said they had sold in one go the number of Nutella jars normally sold in three months. “They were fighting over it … at the tills there was only Nutella,” one told Le Progrès newspaper. |
| Until now, this type of hysterical behaviour has been viewed in France as a mostly American Black Friday phenomenon and evidence of the perils of rampant free-market consumerism. | Until now, this type of hysterical behaviour has been viewed in France as a mostly American Black Friday phenomenon and evidence of the perils of rampant free-market consumerism. |
| Nutella was created by the Ferrero family in Italy in the 1940s. About 365m kg of the hazelnut chocolate spread are consumed around the world every year. | Nutella was created by the Ferrero family in Italy in the 1940s. About 365m kg of the hazelnut chocolate spread are consumed around the world every year. |
| The company said it regretted the “promotion and its consequences”, blaming Intermarché for the chaos. | The company said it regretted the “promotion and its consequences”, blaming Intermarché for the chaos. |
| In a statement, the supermarket chain said it was surprised the offer had caused battle scenes in its stores and was sorry for the “disagreeable events customers suffered”. | In a statement, the supermarket chain said it was surprised the offer had caused battle scenes in its stores and was sorry for the “disagreeable events customers suffered”. |
| Sophie Chevalier, a French anthropologist and specialist in customer behaviour, said the scenes were incredible. | Sophie Chevalier, a French anthropologist and specialist in customer behaviour, said the scenes were incredible. |
| “These are unusual in France, except when there’s a particularly exceptional sale, and more what we see in developing countries or where there’s a regular shortage of essential products,” Chevalier told Le Parisien. | “These are unusual in France, except when there’s a particularly exceptional sale, and more what we see in developing countries or where there’s a regular shortage of essential products,” Chevalier told Le Parisien. |
| “Would there be the same reaction to jars of pickles? Certainly not. It’s a question of the kind of product that explains this. Nutella is pure pleasure for children and to offer it at a bargain price obviously attracts lots of customers.” | “Would there be the same reaction to jars of pickles? Certainly not. It’s a question of the kind of product that explains this. Nutella is pure pleasure for children and to offer it at a bargain price obviously attracts lots of customers.” |
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