"Open Run" for $310 Air Conditioner at Dawn... Chaos at French Supermarkets

200,000 Air Conditioners and Fans Sold at Discount Prices
Crowds Gather from Early Morning, Forcing Police Response

As another heatwave was forecast across France, crowds of citizens flocked to discount supermarkets selling air conditioners at lower prices than the market rate, leading to scuffles and shouting matches at some stores.

Crowds of people gathered at LIDL store to purchase air conditioners and other cooling devices. Screenshot from X

According to AFP and French media Bang Minute on July 2 (local time), German discount supermarket chain LIDL put around 200,000 air conditioners, fans, and other cooling devices on sale at approximately 1,600 locations throughout France that day.

The product that attracted the most attention among the offerings was LIDL's own brand portable air conditioner. The device, equipped with cooling, dehumidifying, and fan functions, was priced at 179 euros (about 310,000 won). Desk fans and portable mini fans were also available starting at 3.99 euros.

Recently, heatwaves in France have caused shortages of air conditioners and fans, and the price of some products sold online has jumped by about 9% in just a month. This led to heightened interest even before sales began. On social networking services (SNS), posts appeared from the day before the event, such as "You have to go at opening time" and "There will probably be fights in the store."

200 People Lined Up from Dawn for 179-Euro Air Conditioner

Indeed, in front of a LIDL store in Paris's 19th arrondissement, a line started to form at 7 a.m., two hours before opening. The number of people waiting swelled to about 200, and as some customers tried to cut in line, arguments and physical altercations broke out in several places. Police were dispatched to the scene.

However, it was reported that only two air conditioners had been delivered to that particular store. One customer who succeeded in buying an air conditioner said they had waited for more than seven hours since 4 a.m. A 69-year-old woman who had queued since 6:30 a.m. but failed to buy one as the third in line was left holding only a small fan and complained that LIDL's sales promotion was "not truthful."

At another store in Sevran, on the outskirts of Paris, traffic in the city center became paralyzed as vehicles crowded in with people trying to buy cooling devices. Videos filmed across France showed customers rushing into stores as soon as the doors opened, pushing and shoving to claim products. At some locations, doors and windows were damaged, and some stores even suspended operations due to safety concerns.

"Stock Ordered a Year Ago"... Cooling Devices Sell Out Amid Heatwave

LIDL France expressed regret over the incidents in their stores, stating that employees had to manage tensions between customers in difficult circumstances. However, they explained that this sale event was not organized suddenly in response to the heatwave, but that the products had been ordered about a year ago and delivered according to a pre-set schedule.

LIDL clarified that disturbances occurred at only about 10 out of more than 1,600 stores in France, and said, "We could not have predicted in July last year that the heatwave would come so quickly this June."

Meanwhile, concerns about the environmental impact of air conditioners remain strong in France. In a poll released by Ipsos in early June, 78% of French respondents said they believe air conditioners are not environmentally friendly. However, as the heatwave lasted for more than ten days, demand for cooling devices surged, leading to air conditioners and fans selling out at large supermarkets and electronics retailers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.