Black Friday 2017: Chaos as huge crowds of shoppers in Brazil scuffle over discount TVs

Riotus scenes pictured outside stores in South Africa and Greece

Lydia Smith
Friday 24 November 2017 16:26 GMT
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Dozens of Brazilians reach for television sets in a store in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Dozens of Brazilians reach for television sets in a store in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Black Friday is well underway around the world, with shoppers fighting to get their hands on discounted electricals and other goods.

Scenes of mayhem were captured on camera in Brazil, where huge crowds of customers can be seen scuffling in their attempts to grab cut-price televisions.

Large queues also formed outside shopping centres in South Africa and Greece.

Black Friday, a US export, traditionally takes place the day after Thanksgiving in America, but in recent years has been a relatively subdued affair in the UK - where shoppers have been pictures queuing politely, or shopping online.

Dozens of Brazilians reach for television sets in a storeinf Sao Paulo
Brazilians fight over electricals in Sao Paulo
Shoppers reach out for television sets as they compete to purchase retail items on Black Friday at a store in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Shoppers are seen queuing for the opening of a Game discount store on Black Friday at a shopping mall in Durban, South Africa
Shoppers queue in Durban, South Africa (Reuters)
People wait outside a department store in Thessaloniki, Greece
Shopper queue outside a Best Buy store in the US
People shop at Macy's department store on Thanksgiving Day

The day is synonymous with violent clashes, however. In 2014, footage from a London branch of Asda shower customers screaming and shoving each other to get to the best deals.

Black Friday has seen several deaths in the US, including 34-year-old security worker Jdimytai Damour, who was killed in a stampede of shoppers in a Walmart in 2013.

The day is expected to launch the biggest ever weekend of shopping in the UK, with customers set to spent almost £8 billion.

Some critics say they are fed up of the modern tradition, which sees shoppers scramble to get the best deals.

Consumer groups such as Which? Also argue many supposed deals are not all they seem.

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