Shanghai Costco told to curtail crowds after being mobbed

Shanghai officials’ attention has turned once again to regulating crowds at Costco.
The Costco out in suburban Minhang district was hit with a rush of shoppers over the weekend as residents looked to load up on supplies amid the Covid-19 virus outbreak.
Local authorities have scolded the retailer for not doing enough to prevent large crowds from forming inside the store.
Shoppers will now have to stand one meter away from each other while queuing at the cash register.
Costco has also reportedly removed some of its most popular items — like roast chicken and croissants — from shelves in order to cut down on overcrowding.
These measures come in addition to limiting the number of customers inside the store at one time to just 1,000.
Of course, all shoppers must also wear face masks.

The outlet, China’s first, opened last year to ravenous crowds who forced the store to shut down early on its first day in business with their ferocity.

Costco went on to limit shoppers to just 2,000 at one time, leading to three-hour-long lines outside of the store with some even arriving at 2 am in the morning.
The excitement over the store later quieted down but customers have now returned en masse in their time of need.

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