‘They are like animals’: French shoppers brawl over discounted Nutella

Brawls have broken out in French supermarkets as shoppers scrambled to get their hands on discounted pots of chocolate and hazelnut spread.

Hysterical scenes were filmed in several supermarkets across the country operated by the Intermarche chain, which offered massive discounts on pots of Nutella.

The promotion, launched on Thursday, reduced the price of more than a million 950-gram pots from 4.70 euros (CAD $7.21) to 1.41 (CAD $2.16).

WATCH: Nutella discounts spark hysteria in French supermarkets

0:51 Nutella discounts spark hysteria in French supermarkets

In one video posted on Twitter, customers are seen shoving each other and shouting as they try to get as many pots as possible. According to Le Parisien newspaper, shoppers started to fight in the northern town of Ostricourt, prompting police to step in.

WATCH: Grandfather left beaten and bruised after attack at Costco over Nutella samples

“They are like animals. One woman had her hair pulled. An elderly lady took a box on her head. Another had a bloody hand,” one customer told the newspaper Le Progres.

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Intermarche did not immediately answer a message from the Associated Press seeking comments. Ferrero, the company that produces Nutella, said: “the decision for the special offer was taken unilaterally by Intermarche.”

— With files from Reuters