In the same week Kmart’s $89 Anko camera glasses sold out across Australia, chaotic scenes at the opening of Brisbane’s first Panda Mart have further highlighted consumers’ growing appetite for discount products – despite the retailer facing ongoing safety and regulatory scrutiny.

Thousands of shoppers descended on the new Rocklea superstore this week, with queues stretching around the former Bunnings Warehouse site and traffic spilling into nearby streets.

Panda Mart, often described as “Temu in real life”, sells more than 30,000 products across categories including electronics accessories, homewares, furniture, toys, sporting equipment, beauty products and travel goods.

Prices reportedly start from about 40 cents.

Footage shared on social media showed crowded aisles, lengthy checkout queues and products scattered across the floor as shoppers searched through heavily discounted merchandise.

Image: TikTok/fifi_95_

A staff member told Brisbane Times that individual checkout operators had processed more than 1,000 customers during the opening weekend. The Rocklea store has 18 checkout counters.

Panda Mart’s latest opening marks its third Australian location and its first outside Victoria, following stores in Cranbourne and Preston.

But the retailer’s expansion comes as it faces ongoing regulatory scrutiny.

Consumer Affairs Victoria previously brought 147 criminal charges against Panda Mart Cranbourne over products allegedly failing to meet mandatory safety and information standards.

Energy Safe Victoria has also filed 130 charges involving allegedly unsafe electrical products, including lamps.

Image: TikTok/fifi_95_

Panda Mart pleaded guilty to the Consumer Affairs Victoria charges in June and is awaiting sentencing.

In December, a court order forced Panda Mart’s two Victorian stores to stop trading for 72 hours after inspectors found hundreds of non-compliant products,

The frenzy in Brisbane comes as cost-conscious Australian households increasingly seek lower-priced alternatives and rein in discretionary spending.

Kmart experienced similar demand this week when its budget camera-equipped smart glasses sold out online and across much of its store network, despite privacy concerns surrounding the wearable technology.