After opening its doors for less than five hours, the first Costco in China was forced to close early due to overcrowding and raucous behavior of some customers.
The major American wholesale retailer established its first Chinese store in Shanghai. Doors opened at 9:00 a.m. on Aug. 27, but were closed just after 1:00 p.m., according to Shanghai Times. The opening day was planned to last until 9:30 that evening.
The ongoing U.S.-China trade war may have influenced local shoppers to flock to the store for hard-to-find discounts on products like meat and milk powder.
Footage shot with cellphones and uploaded to Chinese social media showed lines of cars in traffic jams, reportedly going as far as 0.3 miles (500 meters) away from the store, according to Shanghai Times.
Photos and videos also show people sneaking past security at the front door, empty carts packed tightly into the aisles, and large crowds grabbing for products.
Though there were 22 cashiers opened, the average wait in the check-out lines was reported to be about 30 minutes, according to Shanghai Times.
An unnamed customer shared on Chinese social media that police and security were dispatched inside the shopping warehouse to protect certain goods. “Maotai, fresh beef, fresh pork, and milk powder are all being stolen,” the individual posted online, according to Shanghai Times. Maotai is a famous brand of Chinese liquor.
The writer also suggested that despite Chinese people expressing opposition to the United States in the trade war, the reality of their behavior is much different. “Everyone is saying they oppose the United States, but they’re relatively honorable.”
