The United Kingdom is currently undergoing a massive cost of living crisis. While food prices in the United States rose by 11.4% from August 2021 to August 2022, per Forbes, food price inflation recently hit a 45-year record high of 16.2% in the U.K., according to the BBC.
On top of that, people living in the U.K. have had to deal with numerous other issues increasing the cost of living. The primary issue appears to be the price of fuel, which is necessary for heating during the U.K.’s cold winters.
“In October 2022, households are paying, on average, 88.9% more for their electricity, gas, and other fuels than they were paying a year ago,” the U.K.’s Office for National Statistics said, per CNBC.
With costs like these rising, more and more U.K. residents are desperate to reduce their spending.
One way they have been able to do that is by shopping in clearance sections. However, given rising costs, these clearance sections have become hectic places.
@bordzsi91 Hunger games in tesco #tesco #hungergames #fy #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #tiktok #viral #shopping #clubcard #shopping #candycrush10 #tescosfinest #savemoney ♬ eredeti hang – Bordzsi
A user on TikTok recently went viral after documenting a clearance section in a South Yorkshire Tesco. In a video with over 9.4 million views, TikToker @bordzsi91 shows customers fighting over these discounted goods.
“Hunger games in tesco,” @bordzsi91 wrote in the caption.
In the comments section, many users identified the video as a sad marker of the times.
“A year ago this would have been slightly funny,” claimed one user. “In a living crisis it’s kinda sad.”
“This is real sad,” added another. “Some laugh but this might be the only things they can afford to feed their children.”
“The stark reality that poverty is reaching such limits, that people are willing to fight for reduced items,” said a third. “It’s just sad.”
Some users allege that in-store behavior like this has caused their Tesco to be redesigned.
“In tesco near me they put a big yellow barrier up for staff safety doing reduced section until they’re done,” alleged a user. “It’s crazy that they need to do that!”
We’ve reached out to Tesco via email and @bordzsi91 via TikTok comment.
