Choco rush: Nutella discounts crowd French supermarkets, buyers scamble for jars

The promotion, launched on Thursday, reduced the price of more than a million 950-gram pots of Nutella from 4.70 euros to 1.41.

world Updated: Jan 26, 2018 16:53 IST

Michele Ferrero dreamt up the chocolate-hazelnut Nutella spread turning a provincial chocolate factory into Italy's most valuable privately-owned company.(AP File Photo)

Brawls have broken out in French supermarkets as shoppers scrambled to get their hands on discounted pots of chocolate and hazelnut spread.

Hysterical scenes were filmed in several supermarkets across the country operated by the Intermarche chain, which offered massive discounts on pots of Nutella.

The promotion, launched on Thursday, reduced the price of more than a million 950-gram pots from 4.70 euros to 1.41.

In one video posted on Twitter, customers are seen shoving each other and shouting as they try to get as many pots as possible. According to Le Parisien newspaper, shoppers started to fight in the northern town of Ostricourt, prompting police to step in.

Police called in after a 70% discount on Nutella caused violent scenes in France, injuring several people pic.twitter.com/z6V7zYj8Zn
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 26, 2018

Intermarche did not immediately answer a message from the Associated Press seeking comments. Ferrero, the company that produces Nutella, said “the decision for the special offer was taken unilaterally by Intermarche.”