After-Christmas discounts caused chaos

Several Slovak towns, including Bratislava, experienced serious traffic jams after the retail chain Carrefour announced a huge seasonal sale on Monday. Traffic was backed up for several kilometers in all directions as thousands of shoppers from all regions flocked to the hypermarkets. With traffic lights failing to control the traffic and cars getting stuck in the middle of intersections, police were called in to help. People were waiting in crowds and lines from as early as 3 a.m., even though the stores open at 9 or 10 a.m. Most of the customers were from the category of pensioners and the unemployed.

Advertising leaflets that people received in their mailboxes announced, "sale of the century with 95 percent discounts", especially on electronics, toys and clothes. This is the way to get rid of seasonal products and make room for new ones. In the town of Kosice, eastern Slovakia, impatient shoppers damaged the glass on front doors and soon after the opening the store security officers had to prevent more shoppers from entering, as some shoppers inside collapsed from the heat and oxygen deficiency. Most chaos was caused by the fact that the huge discounts applied only to several items left in storage – these were sold our during the first five minutes after opening – and dissatisfied customers argued with the clerks. Experts claim that many shoppers only came to buy a product that they can sell afterwards with a decent margin.