Fistfights break out in France over a sale on Nutella

It’s not a secret that Nutella – the chocolate and hazlenut spread – is adored the world over. But is it good enough to get in a fight over it? The answer, it would seem, is yes. The BBC is reporting that Nutella ‘riots’ are breaking out in French supermarkets. 

The ‘rioting’ began when French supermarket Intermarché offered a 70% discount on Nutella in many of its stores, bringing the price down from €4.50 to €1.40. Customers were so eager to get their hands on the discounted jars of the spread that they began fighting with one another as the product flew off the stores’ shelves. 

One customer described the scene to French media: “They are like animals. A woman had her hair pulled, an elderly lady took a box on her head, another had a bloody hand.” All of that particular store’s stock was depleted in under 15 minutes, and reports from other stores echo the story from this one. 

Nutella has legions of fans across the globe, who consume 365 million kilos of the spread every year. The EYB Library contains nearly 600 recipes that use Nutella, including the ever-popular Torta alla gianduia (Nutella cake) from Nigella Lawson. Save yourself from potential fisticuffs by trying one of the “DIY Nutella” recipes, like the Homemade Nutella from Leite’s Culinaria, pictured above.