Men and women queue separately at Romford supermarket's anniversary giveaway
Video from Masala Bazaar in Romford showed men and women in separate queues for free cooking oil during its anniversary event. Staff say the split was unplanned and caused by crowding.
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The story, neutrally told
Video from the Romford branch of Masala Bazaar, an Asian supermarket in east London, shows men and women in separate queues for free vegetable oil. Daily MailR “On August 28, separate queues of men and women formed as shoppers were handed bottles of vegetable oil.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ GB NewsR “Video footage from the Romford branch of Masala Bazaar shows men and women forming separate queues” Read at GB News ↗ It was filmed during the store's third anniversary celebrations, which ran from 26 to 31 August. GB NewsR “which ran from August 26 to 31” Read at GB News ↗ The Daily Mail reported that queues again split largely by gender on later days, when meat joints and frozen fish were given out. Daily MailR “queues formed again, also largely divided by gender, as staff distributed what appeared to be joints of meat and frozen fish.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Both outlets say no signs told customers to separate by sex. GB NewsR “No signage directed customers to queue in separate lines by sex.” Read at GB News ↗ Daily MailR “There were no signs instructing customers to form separate queues for men and women.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Store manager Zayuber said the split was unintentional. He described the event as overcrowded and said everyone was back together after about a minute. Daily MailR “People automatically started queuing with the men on one side and the women on the other. After about a minute, everyone was back together.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Another worker said two queues were created to hand out food more efficiently, but that customers chose where to stand. Daily MailR “We didn't tell anyone where to stand. They formed the queues themselves.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
A worker also wrote on social media that there was no policy or religious rule requiring segregated queues and apologised for any shortcomings in the organisation. The Daily Mail attributes this to Al Jazeera. Daily MailR “a worker wrote on social media that customers had not been instructed to stand apart and that there was no policy or religious rule requiring segregated queues.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ One shopper told the Daily Mail that married couples stood apart so each could collect the free items. Daily MailR “Another shopper told the Daily Mail that men and women - many of whom were married couples - had stood apart” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Social media users who shared the footage expressed concern, and GB News describes the reaction as outrage. Daily MailR “Social media users who shared the footage expressed concern about the apparent separation of customers.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ GB NewsR “has sparked outrage as customers queue in "gender segregated" lines” Read at GB News ↗
Both outlets place the incident in the context of Romford's changing demographics, citing a fall in the white population from 95.2% to 75.3% and a rise in the Asian population from 2.1% to 10.7%. Masala Bazaar's head office had not commented when the Daily Mail published. Daily MailR “Masala Bazaar's head office has been approached for comment on whether customers were queuing by gender.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ GB NewsR “the share of residents who identify as Asian has risen from 2.1 per cent to 10.7 per cent.” Read at GB News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present the video as a viral controversy about apparent gender segregation in a British Asian shop. Each includes staff denials and sets the story against Romford's demographic change.
- Emphasis
- The separate queues, the local demographic figures, the owner's wealth and business, and social media reaction.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither has comment from Masala Bazaar's head office. GB News does not carry the Al Jazeera-reported worker statement that there was no policy or religious rule requiring segregation. Neither includes outside experts or a wider view of queuing customs.
- Charged language
- “sparks outrage”“gender segregated”“white flight”
- For example
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“An Asian supermarket in east London has sparked outrage as customers queue in "gender segregated" lines.” — GB News
“The so-called 'white flight' to neighbouring Essex has seen the town's white population fall from 95.2 per cent in 2001 to 75.3 per cent today.” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Men and women formed separate queues for free oil at Masala Bazaar, Romford, on 28 August.
- No signs instructed customers to separate by sex.
- The store manager says the split was unplanned and due to crowding.
- Masala Bazaar is owned by Euro Foods Group, founded by Shelim Hussain.
Where accounts differ
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Why the queues split by gender
- Right
- Staff say customers formed the lines themselves amid crowding. A shopper says couples stood apart to each collect goods. GB News describes public outrage and frames the lines as 'gender segregated'. The Daily Mail says the separation was 'apparent'.
Masala Bazaar organisation
Store staff say the queues formed spontaneously amid overcrowding and that there was no instruction or policy to separate customers. Head office had not commented in the Daily Mail report.
“We told customers they needed to line up, but we can't control them.” — Daily Mail
“We didn't tell anyone where to stand. They formed the queues themselves.” — GB News
Romford place
Both outlets describe Romford as a former white working-class area that has changed demographically, and use it as context for the story.
“Romford, historically regarded as one of London's most prominent white working-class areas, has experienced significant demographic shifts in recent decades.” — GB News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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Mixed Reports the viral footage with detailed staff explanations and shopper comments, and adds demographic context on Romford.
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GB NewsR ·
Asian supermarket in London sparks outrage as customers queue in 'gender segregated' lines
Critical Leads with outrage over 'gender segregated' lines, then relays the manager's denial largely from the Daily Mail.
- 30 Sep 00:13 First Daily MailR Customers at Asian supermarket in east London form separate male and female queues as they wait in line for discounted cooking oil
- 30 Sep 12:16 +12h 3m GB NewsR Asian supermarket in London sparks outrage as customers queue in 'gender segregated' lines
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.