A grocery promotion in East London drew online criticism on August 28 after video footage showed shoppers forming separate queues by gender while collecting free cooking oil. The clip from Masala Bazaar in Romford circulated widely on social media, prompting debate over cultural integration and local demographics as dnes.bg reported.
Queue Footage Sparks Online Debate in Romford
Footage captured on August 28 shows men and women standing in separate lines at the Masala Bazaar branch, a South Asian grocery store. Store staff distributed free bottles of cooking oil to mark the shop’s third anniversary. The store displayed no signs instructing customers to segregate by gender, and the lines merged back together within minutes.
The video drew condemnation from right-wing politician Nigel Farage, who shared the footage online with the comment, "This is not British culture." One online user wrote that no law had been passed to introduce gender-segregated queues in England. Meanwhile, a customer told the Daily Mail that some married couples deliberately stood in separate lines so both individuals could secure promotional items.
Store Management Denies Intentional Segregation
Store manager Zauber disputed claims of a deliberate policy, telling the Daily Mail that the crowd management was entirely unplanned. "It was extremely crowded here for the third anniversary," Zauber said. "On events like this, we organise a ‘gift hour’ where we hand out free things, so everyone wants them. We told customers they had to line up, but we can’t control them. People automatically started lining up so the men were on one side and the women on the other. After about a minute, everyone mixed again."
A colleague corroborated this account, stating that employees gave no directions regarding where individuals should stand. The staff member noted that the dual lines emerged spontaneously solely to distribute products more efficiently amid the heavy foot traffic.
Demographic Shifts Transform East London Retail
Romford, historically recognized as a predominantly white working-class area of London, has experienced notable population changes in recent decades. Census figures indicate that the ward’s white population dropped from 95.2% in 2001 to 75.3%, a trend frequently attributed to white flight toward neighboring Essex. Over the same timeframe, the proportion of residents identifying as Asian rose from 2.1% to 10.7%.
These shifts have altered the neighborhood's business environment, allowing retailers such as Masala Bazaar to establish operations catering to changing local communities. The supermarket specializes in halal meat and groceries from South Asia.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Romford Supermarket Incident
How long did the separate queues last before customers mixed again?
Store manager Zauber stated that shoppers merged back together approximately one minute after the queues formed.
What demographic changes have occurred in Romford since 2001?
Census data shows the white population in the area decreased from 95.2% in 2001 to 75.3%, while the Asian population grew from 2.1% to 10.7%.
Worth a look