Hundreds of frantic people jostled outside a food store which opened on Saturday offering cheese, cooking oil and salt at knock off prices.
The shop in downtown Bucharest, which had been promoted heavily on social media by its owner, an influencer who made headlines after he was detained in a tax evasion, and embezzlement case three years ago and accused of manipulating the market.
Despite temperatures of well over 30C in the capital, shoppers pushed and shoved, hours ahead of the opening of the shop which offers bio Romanian products.
Romanian police erected fences to control the crowd, and one woman required medical treatment.
The shop was offering 90% discount on its products as a marketing strategy for the opening day.
Images posted on social media show customers crowding in front of the shop and shoving to get to the store which opened at midday.
Riot police put up barriers to control the crowds.
In videos ahead of the shop launch, owner Calin Donca promoted his store as an all- Romanian food store offering merchandise from local producers.
Who is Călin Donca
Călin Donca is a businessman from the central city of Brașov, active in energy and cryptocurrencies as well as heavily promoting his various businesses on TikTok.
He entered the food retail market in 2025, with his first store “Dor de Gusturi Românești” in Brașov.
The business is marketed as a network for local products from small farmers who have difficulty placing their products in supermarket chains.
In 2023, Donca was remanded in custody over a case of involving the establishment of an organized criminal group, tax evasion, embezzlement and manipulation of the capital market.
Prosecutors said it cost the state budget more than 4 million lei.
He spent some three months in pre-trial detention, was then places under house arrest and judicial control. The case is ongoing.
