France supermarket chaos erupts over air‑conditioner sale amid heatwave

Hundreds of shoppers flocked to supermarkets in Paris and surrounding suburbs after a retailer launched a massive promotion of fans and portable air‑conditioners as France endures an extreme heatwave. The limited stock—only a few units per store—triggered large queues, physical confrontations and panic. In a Lidl outlet in southern Paris, roughly 200 people waited for over an hour, only to learn that the two advertised units had been taken by police. Similar scenes unfolded in Nanterre, Aubervilliers and Valenton, where crowds of 300‑400 forced staff to temporarily close sections of the stores. Police and fire services were called in to restore order; incidents included the use of pepper spray that affected at least eight individuals, one of them a 12‑year‑old child. The events have sparked debate over how promotional campaigns should be managed during periods of extreme temperature.

French authorities are reviewing safety procedures for high‑traffic sales, while retailers face pressure to better anticipate demand for cooling equipment during heatwaves.