Press "PandaGuides" above to follow us!
A supermarket in Zhecheng County, Shangqiu City, Henan Province, descended into chaos on September 6 after rumors spread that it was about to shut down permanently. The rumors prompted a massive surge of panicked shoppers, particularly those with prepaid memberships, who flooded the store to buy goods before the closure.
Eyewitnesses reported that the scene quickly turned chaotic, with many customers ripping open food packages and consuming products inside the store. Videos circulating online showed half-empty shelves and people frantically grabbing items, leaving the supermarket in disarray.
A supermarket employee explained that once the rumor spread, the number of customers increased several times over the usual flow. While no major thefts or robberies were reported, many customers consumed food and beverages inside the premises without paying. The store's stock was entirely depleted by the end of the day, and the exact losses are still being calculated.
In response, the supermarket issued a statement announcing a temporary closure starting on September 6. They plan to restock and resume operations once the store is replenished. The Zhecheng County Market Supervision Bureau also intervened, clarifying that the rumors of closure were false and that the situation had been resolved.
The incident sparked widespread attention online, with Chinese netizens expressing disbelief at the chaos. One commenter said, "How can people believe such rumors so easily? It’s embarrassing to see people acting like this over nothing." Another remarked, "This shows how fragile trust is between customers and businesses. A simple rumor led to complete chaos."
Some netizens empathized with the customers, suggesting that the rise of prepaid memberships in supermarkets has created uncertainty. "With so many prepaid cards, people just wanted to protect their money," one user noted.
