Crowds rush to buy air conditioners at French supermarket amid heat wave

Large crowds gathered at a supermarket in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy discounted portable air conditioners amid France's ongoing heat wave.

Videos circulating on social media showed customers crowding the entrance and rushing into the store when it opened, as demand surged for cooling appliances following days of exceptionally high temperatures across the country.

French lawmaker Karl Olive said similar scenes were reported at several other stores, with some customers queuing as early as 6 am (0400GMT) ahead of the retailer's 8.30 am (0630GMT) opening.

According to Olive, the branch had promoted a nationwide campaign offering nearly 200,000 cooling devices, including portable air conditioners.

However, he said some stores, including one in Chambourcy, had no air conditioners available when customers entered.

"The disappointment was total: no air conditioners available, only fans," he wrote on US social media platform X.

"Nobody disputes that a product can become a victim of its own success. What is much harder to accept is the lack of clear information on the stocks actually available in each store," Olive added.

He argued that many customers waited for hours before leaving empty-handed, and cited French consumer law, saying businesses must not mislead consumers about product availability.

French media described similar scenes across the country as "chaos" as soaring temperatures drove demand for cooling appliances.

According to Le Parisien, an argument broke out between customers competing for the last remaining fans at a store in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, prompting police to intervene to restore order.

Witnesses at another branch in Aubervilliers told the newspaper that some shoppers forced open the store's doors before opening time and pushed others in an effort to reach the appliances first.

France has experienced several days of exceptionally high temperatures, with many regions recording temperatures above 35C (95F), driving increased demand for cooling equipment.