London Costco Shoppers Panic Buy Water Amidst Scorching Heatwave

Shoppers in a Costco store experienced a wave of panic buying as Britain endured an early summer heatwave with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius. Customers, concerned about the weather, were observed stocking up on large quantities of bottled water.

One individual was seen purchasing two bulk packs of Kirkland 500ml bottles, while others filled their shopping trolleys with multiple trays of water. The aisle containing the bottled water became extremely crowded, packed with shoppers eager to secure their supply.

The incident occurred at a Costco in Chingford, east London. One witness described the scene as resembling standstill traffic, with people swarming the water section. They reported that shoppers were even grabbing water directly from the pallet trucks as employees attempted to restock the shelves.

The panic buying took place on Sunday, during a heatwave that brought consistent warm weather and a prolonged period of virtually no rainfall. Some local residents humorously compared the situation to the rush on toilet paper during the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in shortages in stores.