Milk‚ margarine‚ toilet paper and cold drinks were the most popular items in customers’ trolleys in Randburg‚ Johannesburg‚ on Friday.

Most shoppers at Checkers on Bram Fischer Drive said they were there for basic items.

“I was here mainly for groceries. I got margarine‚ mayonnaise‚ cereal‚ biscuits and washing powder‚” said Rabia Naicker‚ as she and her husband loaded their groceries into their car.

She said she got to the mall just before it opened at 7am‚ where the queue‚ at the time‚ was “horrendous”.

“The nice thing is that Checkers had ample stock and the staff was there to replenish any items that ran out.”

Xolani Ntombela said he left his house in Randburg early to buy beer and a few groceries.

“When they opened at 7am‚ the queue went all the way to the basement.”

In his trolley‚ Ntombela had toilet paper‚ which he said retailed at R69 for 18 rolls‚ LiquiFruit juice‚ which he bought for R22 each‚ and three 500g tubs of margarine‚ which were R99.

“This is really a bargain for me. I came here for these items and I am happy.”

Regina Dube said she was the second person in the queue‚ having arrived at the store at 6.30am. She said she was shopping for Christmas and would take the groceries to Zimbabwe when she leaves for the holidays next month.

“I bought everything that you see here for my grandchildren back home. I want them to have the best Christmas.”

In her overflowing trolley‚ Dube had cereal‚ cold drinks‚ milk‚ toilet paper‚ spices‚ biscuits and other items she said were not on special‚ but were a necessity.

When SowetanLIVE went into the store‚ there were long queues between the aisles.

According to Dube‚ Checkers did not have as many items on special as it did last year.

“You see‚ the store is not as packed as it was last year. They don’t have big specials this year‚” she said.

There was no sign of any stampede or fights‚ except for an exchange of words between two women‚ the younger of whom claimed the other wanted to jump the queue.

“I understand that she is old‚ but she should have asked nicely to go to the front and not force her way through. We are also in a rush to go home‚” the visibly upset woman said.