Almost every supermarket in big cities like Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang are packed in the run up to the Lunar New Year (Tet) as shoppers flock to buy goods for the year’s largest festival.

According to supermarkets, the number of customers in recent days has doubled over normal days and overall has increased by 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

One of the reasons why people choose to buy goods in supermarkets instead of traditional markets is the good quality of the products with stable prices and numerous discounts.

From January 24 to February 2, the Big C supermarket chain is offering discounts on over 1,200 essential goods with a reduction of 5-45 percent, accompanied with many gifts.

The Co-opmart supermarket chain is also giving discounts of 10-15 percent on fresh food such as pork and chicken between January 30 and February 1.

To meet consumer demand, many supermarkets have increased their stocks and kept prices as normal as well as opening more counters to ease the overload.

Deputy General Director of the Saigon Coop mart Bui Hanh Thu said that to meet customer demand, the chain’s supermarkets have been opening one hour earlier and closing one hour later compared to normal days. In addition, Co-opmart has opened additional counters and increased sales by telephone, she added.

According to the Hanoi Trade Department, the purchasing power during Tet will rise by 30-40 percent compared to normal, especially for products such as confectionaries, beverages and fruit./.