Queues formed outside Lidl supermarkets across the Paris region this week as demand for low-cost air conditioning units and electric fans rose sharply.
The increased demand comes amid a new heatwave expected to hit France, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 40Cover the weekend.
In some locations, large crowds were already waiting before stores opened, with customers rushing inside as soon as the doors were lifted.
In video footage circulating on social media, several shoppers can be seen attempting to secure the same air conditioning unit as stock runs out quickly after opening. Separate clips also show tensions in-store, with customers competing for limited appliances.
Police were also called to at least two of the supermarkets in the Paris area in response to large crowds and disputes linked to the limited availability of discounted units, according to France 24.
Lidl is currently selling portable air conditioners priced between €129 and €299.50, significantly below the price of many comparable models elsewhere, where prices only start from Lidl’s highest threshold. This price difference has contributed to strong demand during the current period of extreme heat.
France has historically had relatively low levels of domestic air conditioning compared with southern European countries. Recent estimates suggest around a quarter of households are equipped with air conditioning, compared with more than half in countries such as Italy and Greece.
As a result, demand for portable cooling devices has risen sharply following recent high temperatures, leading to shortages in many stores.
In another video circulating online, shoppers can be seen quickly purchasing electric fans and small cooling appliances in a separate store, with shelves emptied shortly after opening.
An eyewitness who filmed one of the videos, taken inside a Darty store in Paris, described scenes of rapid sell-outs as customers rushed to buy cooling devices ahead of the heatwave.
Speaking to The Connexion, Nikkolas Ballos said he arrived shortly before opening and found a growing queue outside the store.
“When I arrived there was already a small line, then more and more people came. Around opening time there were maybe 100 people waiting.”
He said the stock of cooling devices disappeared within seconds once the doors opened.
“Maybe thirty seconds after the store opened, everything was gone.”
He added that customers were mainly focused on electric fans and portable cooling devices, which quickly sold out.
“People were saying there was no more air-conditioning stock available,”
He described the atmosphere inside the store as chaotic:
“It was insane. People were rushing, grabbing items quickly. It was crazy.”
At the same time, a resale market has emerged. Some secondary retailers and individuals are now reselling air conditioning units online at significantly higher prices following shortages in physical stores, reports franceinfo.
Listings on platforms such as Leboncoin include examples of models originally priced between €180 and €300 being offered for as much as €650, with a seller writing in the description: ‘prepare yourselves for the next heatwave and stock shortages’.
Meanwhile, the issue has also taken on a political dimension. The far-right National Rally has proposed a large-scale “climate plan” that includes measures to expand access to air conditioning in public buildings and households.
According to statements by RN MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy, the proposal would involve around €40 billion in commitments over two five-year terms if the party were to come to power in 2027.
