Maltese penchant for bargains

It is 6.31 a.m. and a long queue is steadily forming; people are waiting anxiously, preparing themselves for the kill.

Minutes later, all hell breaks loose and they storm a building in a stampede that makes it seem like there is no tomorrow. Fighting for dear life, they grab whatever they can lay their hands on - the more the better. Stacks of unidentified objects are literally ransacked to reveal empty shelves. People are caught gasping for breath, with as many as four of the same seemingly life-saving object in hand.

Are they preparing for a natural disaster? Is the island in a state of emergency? Is it a matter of life or death? Could it be Doomsday?

No, it's just another manic Monday at one of the Lidl outlets. And it could also be a Thursday for that matter. Twice a week, the supermarket displays its special offers and an amateur videographer documented the frenzy on a hilarious clip posted on YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhaxEdzropo ).

This Monday, the coveted purchase was a barbecue, costing no more than €19.99. It must have made mouths water more than the succulent sausages that are destined to be cooked on it in the summer months. And some people will actually have four of them to feast on, seeing as they grabbed as many as they could!

The video, aptly entitled BBQ fever, captures what happens on a weekly basis at Lidl but, more importantly, that the Maltese crave a bargain!