A woman who was swept up in the Le Creuset sale which descended into chaos with four-hour queues and a police response has hit out at the organisers for completely underestimating the mass turn-out.
On the hunt for heavily-discounted fancy casserole dishes, baking trays and crockery, thousands of Middle Class shoppers travelled from around the country to prowl the upmarket warehouse sale in Andover, Hampshire, over the weekend.
Queues snaked for miles as determined shoppers battled through a four-hour wait to get their hands on the French-Belgian firm’s premium cookware.
The Middle Class mob’s hunt for cut-price Le Creuset products even sparked a response from Hampshire Police who were called to the scene after traffic clogged the picturesque market town’s roads.
Lorna Arnold, who was attending one of Le Creuset’s popular sales for the fourth time, told MailOnline that past events have always been ‘ticketed, relaxed and efficient’, with no queues.
‘This time, however, was a completely different story,’ she revealed. ‘When I arrived with my mum at 9.15am, we were shocked to see all the surrounding roads gridlocked, with hundreds, if not thousands, of people everywhere.
Ms Arnold, who admitted they were going to turn around and leave until they got chatting with ‘fellow Le Creuset fans’, described the sale as ‘absolute chaos’.
She added: ‘It seemed clear that the organisers underestimated the turnout, and the infrastructure simply wasn’t equipped to handle the volume of people who showed up.
Pictures shared with MailOnline show that boxes were left scattered everywhere after the Le Creuset sale
Social media users have told of how queues snaked for miles as Middle Class shoppers descended on Andover
Lines of buyers gathered at a warehouse in Andover in Hampshire over the weekend
Kitchenware company Le Creuset offered up to half-price deals on its pots and pans
‘We were among the last groups let in before they closed at 2pm and by then, the inside was completely picked over — boxes scattered everywhere, with people pushing to get to what little was left.
‘It was a stressful and exhausting experience, and there were easily over 500 people behind us who had to be turned away after hours of queuing.
‘I won’t be attending again unless they return to the ticketed, time-slotted format, which is a shame because it’s usually such a well-organised and enjoyable event.’
The deals were put in place from 9am on Saturday and 8am the following day – and one TikTok user shared a video revealing how they had spent £1,127 on an array of items which would otherwise have cost £2,741.50, a saving of £1,614.50.
Their purchases included a cast iron round casserole pot for £159 instead of £269, a stainless steel saucepan for £99 instead of £215 and an oven glove for £16 instead of £43.
They also scooped a wine aerator and pourer costing £6 rather than £20 and a stoneware butter dish priced at £10 rather than £42.
And such was the popularity of the offers – and traffic congestion as customers rushed in – that Hampshire Police had to attend to help control and manage the flow.
People there told of how queues to get in dragged on for as long as four hours, with customers getting out of their vehicles and standing on the pavement outside the HQ.
Many people who did finally make it in later posted on social media including TikTok about their purchases, including wine glasses, mugs, dishes and bowls.
Hampshire Police told the Telegraph: ‘We attended London Road and the A3093 in Andover Saturday morning following reports of heavy congestion in the area.
‘We began receiving reports at 9.45am and we attended to assist with traffic control. Traffic had eased by around 11.15am and we left the area shortly afterwards.’
Le Creuset had advertised the Andover weekend in advance as its ‘largest in-person event’, unticketed and ‘first-come-first-served’.
The company told potential consumers: ‘Attendees can shop a selection of premium cookware, including limited-edition colours, rare shapes and other unique styles at special prices.’
Classic kitchenware brands such as not only Le Creuset but also Smeg and KitchenAid have appeared newly popular with Gen Z in recent months.
Users on TikTok have rushed to show off their sparkling branded appliances in their kitchens at home in the unlikely fashion trend, while the hashtag #dutchovens has more than 320million views on the social media platform.
Others have shared clips of searching for Le Creuset ‘bargains’ in discount outlets such as TK Maxx and the Bicester Village outlet in Oxfordshire.
Analysts have highlighted the apparent appeal when it comes to sustainability, durability, a sense of nostalgia and vintage vibes.
Premium French cookware brand Le Creuset has been selling pricey pots and pans since 1925 in various colours – but is best known for its classic orange.
Shoppers were seen massing inside the Hampshire sale as Le Creuset prices were slashed
YouTuber Emily Canham from Northamptonshire posted a TikTok video of herself cooking dinner – with her cast iron shell pink casserole dish (costing £255) at the forefront
Home decor account @at.home.with.missb showed off their £134 cream Smeg kettle
The brand last year reported a 20 per cent dip in sales, yet has also been noted for attracting more than 260,000 followers on TikTok.
Recent launches have included pastel colour collections, casserole dishes embellished with a petal design, a heart-shaped Valentines collection and small bowls in the shape of fruits and pumpkins.
The kitchenware has become beloved of UK influencers such as YouTuber Emily Canham from Northamptonshire, who posted a TikTok video of herself cooking dinner – with her cast iron shell pink casserole dish, priced £255, at the forefront.
Gen Z-ers have given the brand their own twist, with the hashtag #LeCreuSlay often trending on the platform – despite the overall slide in sales.
Nick Ryder, managing director of the company based in Fresnoy-le-Grand in northern France, said in its latest annual report: ‘In the post-Covid world, with changing spending patterns and a backdrop of increasing prices and interest rates, the market we operate in has seen a decrease in spend.’
