Outrage Over Supermarket Looting During the Great Blackout: 'We Haven't Learned'

Spain experienced an episode this Monday that will remain in the collective memory for a long time. A massive blackout left millions of people without electricity and internet connection. Not only in Spanish territory, but also in Portugal and a small part of France.

The unexpected nature of the outage quickly raised alarms among the population. Many did not hesitate to rush to supermarkets to stock up for fear that the situation would last longer than desired.

Supermarkets Ransacked After the Great Blackout

A situation that left scenes in numerous food establishments that reminded many of the start of the 2020 pandemic. Long lines in supermarkets, empty shelves, and tension in the air were the general tone of a day marked by uncertainty.

The Great Blackout caused a domino effect among citizens, who bought provisions in case the outage lasted for hours or even days. "This is what happened yesterday in many supermarkets because of the blackout. It's unbelievable that after the pandemic we haven't learned anything, and yet it was said that 'after this we will be better'," highlighted a user on X.

Bottled water was the first product to disappear. Although the water supply functioned normally, the lack of pressure in some homes left part of the population without access to water. Other items like toilet paper, milk, canned goods, and ready meals also ran out within hours.

In supermarkets in large cities like Madrid, Seville, or Barcelona, customer access had to be controlled. Some stores limited capacity, and even the police had to intervene on several occasions to prevent dangerous crowds.

Meanwhile, Spain's main supermarket chains like Mercadona, Carrefour, Alcampo, and El Corte Inglés managed to keep activity going throughout the day. They did so thanks to powerful electric generators that allowed them to keep their stores operational even when the general network collapsed.

Return to Normalcy This Tuesday

From the Valencian company Mercadona, they explained that, although it was a complicated day, they were able to guarantee service thanks to the commitment of their staff. This Tuesday, the company thanked the collective effort through their social media.

"Thanks to the effort of all our staff, today we open our stores, ready to provide the best possible service. Many thanks to all our customers for their collaboration."

Fortunately, the power supply has been gradually restored overnight, and by early Tuesday morning, most of the country has regained electricity and connection. Normalcy has also returned to supermarkets, which have already restocked their shelves and are serving customers without restrictions.

Even so, the images left by the Great Blackout this Monday will remain in the memory of the Spanish population for a long time.