Singapore's Sheng Siong supermarket gave away free near-expiry Häagen-Dazs tub ice cream, attracting large crowds who arrived early to queue up, with stores even distributing all the stock before the official start of the event.
Sheng Siong had earlier announced that on March 3rd and March 4th, as well as March 7th and March 8th starting from 2 PM, four designated outlets islandwide would distribute free 420ml tubs of Häagen-Dazs ice cream. Tuesday (the 3rd) was the first day of the event.
According to photos and videos circulating on social media, at the Sheng Siong supermarket located below Block 506 on Tampines Central 1, a huge crowd queuing up extended from the store entrance to the sidewalk, winding around pillars to form several loops. Among them were elderly in wheelchairs as well as young people.
Members of the public on site said that all the ice cream in the store was given out by 1:52 PM, even before the official 2 PM start time.
Ms. Li (45, housewife), who managed to get the ice cream, told Shin Min Daily News that she arrived to queue at about 12:40 PM on Tuesday, when there were already over ten people waiting at the store entrance.
"Staff revealed that there were over 300 servings of ice cream, and distributed numbers to those in line, but by around 1:30 PM, almost all the numbers had been given out."
She eventually got a tub of tiramisu-flavored ice cream, but there were still quite a few in the back of the line who ended up empty-handed.
"Afterwards, staff stopped giving out numbers, but many people continued to queue, only to leave disappointed in the end."
Sheng Siong previously stated that this batch of ice cream would expire on March 16th, so they decided to give it away for free in advance to the public.
The Yishun and Clementi outlets will continue to give out free ice cream over the weekend.
According to photos and videos circulating on social media, at the Sheng Siong supermarket located below Block 506 on Tampines Central 1, a huge crowd queuing up extended from the store entrance to the sidewalk, winding around pillars to form several loops. Among them were elderly in wheelchairs as well as young people.
Members of the public on site said that all the ice cream in the store was given out by 1:52 PM, even before the official 2 PM start time.
Ms. Li (45, housewife), who managed to get the ice cream, told Shin Min Daily News that she arrived to queue at about 12:40 PM on Tuesday, when there were already over ten people waiting at the store entrance.
"Staff revealed that there were over 300 servings of ice cream, and distributed numbers to those in line, but by around 1:30 PM, almost all the numbers had been given out."
She eventually got a tub of tiramisu-flavored ice cream, but there were still quite a few in the back of the line who ended up empty-handed.
"Afterwards, staff stopped giving out numbers, but many people continued to queue, only to leave disappointed in the end."
Sheng Siong previously stated that this batch of ice cream would expire on March 16th, so they decided to give it away for free in advance to the public.
The Yishun and Clementi outlets will continue to give out free ice cream over the weekend.