At a supermarket in HCM City (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) -Supermarkets in HCM City have worked with suppliers to ensure there issufficient supply of goods at steady prices for the next two to three months,diminishing public fear of shortages.
Since March 6 night, when the 17th COVID-19 case was reported in Hanoi, residentsin the capital as well as HCM City and elsewhere have been flocking tosupermarkets and retail outlets to stock up on essentials like rice, instantnoodles and soap, temporarily emptying shelves.
But on March 8, the number of shoppers decreased significantly at supermarketsbut was still higher than on previous Sundays.
Nguyen Anh Duc, permanent deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, which ownsCo.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarket chains, said there was no panic buying likeon March 6 and 7 when the number of shoppers was 20 times the normal number.
He was "relieved” as operations were back to normal, he said.
Saigon Co.op began plans to stockpile goods since last month and so stocks areplentiful and would easily meet the soaring demand, he said.
Its stockpile to ride out the epidemic is equal to its Lunar New Year stocks,with a focus on rice, instant noodles, water, canned food, milk, handsanitisers, face masks, toilet paper, liquid cleaners and others, he said.
Saigon Co.op has dispatched adequate stocks not only to its stores in HCM Citybut also in Hanoi and the central region.
A spokesperson for MM Mega Market Vietnam Co., Ltd said the supermarket chainhas been doing a number of things to ensure it could meet all customer demandsfor essential goods.
Right from the beginning of this year, it has worked with suppliers and farmersto increase supply by 20 – 40 percent, she said.
It is working closely with suppliers to increase the number of vehiclesdelivering goods to its centres, especially in the north, to preclude ashortage and price hikes, she said.
It has increased stocks of rice, processed and fresh foods and others by over 1.2trillion VND (51.7 million USD), especially products to help ward off infectionlike face masks, hand sanitisers and antiseptic liquids, whose supply has beenincreased by 190-1,500 percent, she said.
Big C has also increased stocks by three to four times.
Nguyen Thi Phuong, deputy general director of Central Retail Group, owner ofthe Big C supermarket network in the country, said suppliers have been told toincrease delivery frequency and the number of staff has been increased tobetter serve customers.
Many retailers have also cut the prices of many products.
Giant food company VISSAN, for instance, is offering a 7 percent discount onseveral products like beef ball, pork braised with eggs and coconut water,dried chicken with lemon leaves, and dried pork with seaweed at its storesuntil March 19.
Nguyen Huynh Trang, deputy director of the city Department of Industry andTrade, said producers and retailers have assured that stocks of goods areplentiful and enough for the next two or three months.
The public should therefore not hoard goods, causing confusion and distortingthe market, she said.
Stores in Hanoi witnessed a flurry of activity on March 7, withshoppers buying up essential goods after the city recorded its first cases ofCOVID-19.
The next morning, however, supermarkets and shops in the city weremostly back to normal – full of products with stable prices.
During a meeting of the steering committee on Covid-19 in Hanoi onMarch 8, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade Tran ThiPhuong Lan said: “Activities at all supermarkets and traditional markets havereturned to normal and there are no price hikes.”
Lan said since the beginning of last month, the department has worked hard tostabilise the prices of commodities.
Lan’s department has directed distribution channels to increase their supply bya further 30 to 50 percent and prepare employees for extra hours as needed.
On March 8, the department and the city’s market watch team checked bothsupermarkets and traditional markets. According to preliminary statistics,prices of commodities such as rice, pork and vegetables have returned tonormal, with little fluctuation.
Among commodities, face masks, especially antibacterial cloth ones, have beenchecked carefully at workshops, supermarkets and traditional markets to ensurequality for users.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the city People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chungsaid: “The hoarding of goods is not necessary because supermarkets in the citywill always serve them.”
Chung requested relevant producers and distributors prepare more goods as wellas hand cleansers and face masks to serve the needs of people.
Nguyen Phuong Mai, 33, said: "It is so funny to see my mother-in-law tryher best to buy a small zucchini for 60,000 VND, three times more expensivethan it often costs, at the local market."
The woman said: "It is so unnecessary. There is a lot of food available inthe supermarket. A few days ago, we still had to buy to help farmers whocould not sell their products."/.
Since March 6 night, when the 17th COVID-19 case was reported in Hanoi, residentsin the capital as well as HCM City and elsewhere have been flocking tosupermarkets and retail outlets to stock up on essentials like rice, instantnoodles and soap, temporarily emptying shelves.
But on March 8, the number of shoppers decreased significantly at supermarketsbut was still higher than on previous Sundays.
Nguyen Anh Duc, permanent deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, which ownsCo.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarket chains, said there was no panic buying likeon March 6 and 7 when the number of shoppers was 20 times the normal number.
He was "relieved” as operations were back to normal, he said.
Saigon Co.op began plans to stockpile goods since last month and so stocks areplentiful and would easily meet the soaring demand, he said.
Its stockpile to ride out the epidemic is equal to its Lunar New Year stocks,with a focus on rice, instant noodles, water, canned food, milk, handsanitisers, face masks, toilet paper, liquid cleaners and others, he said.
Saigon Co.op has dispatched adequate stocks not only to its stores in HCM Citybut also in Hanoi and the central region.
A spokesperson for MM Mega Market Vietnam Co., Ltd said the supermarket chainhas been doing a number of things to ensure it could meet all customer demandsfor essential goods.
Right from the beginning of this year, it has worked with suppliers and farmersto increase supply by 20 – 40 percent, she said.
It is working closely with suppliers to increase the number of vehiclesdelivering goods to its centres, especially in the north, to preclude ashortage and price hikes, she said.
It has increased stocks of rice, processed and fresh foods and others by over 1.2trillion VND (51.7 million USD), especially products to help ward off infectionlike face masks, hand sanitisers and antiseptic liquids, whose supply has beenincreased by 190-1,500 percent, she said.
Big C has also increased stocks by three to four times.
Nguyen Thi Phuong, deputy general director of Central Retail Group, owner ofthe Big C supermarket network in the country, said suppliers have been told toincrease delivery frequency and the number of staff has been increased tobetter serve customers.
Many retailers have also cut the prices of many products.
Giant food company VISSAN, for instance, is offering a 7 percent discount onseveral products like beef ball, pork braised with eggs and coconut water,dried chicken with lemon leaves, and dried pork with seaweed at its storesuntil March 19.
Nguyen Huynh Trang, deputy director of the city Department of Industry andTrade, said producers and retailers have assured that stocks of goods areplentiful and enough for the next two or three months.
The public should therefore not hoard goods, causing confusion and distortingthe market, she said.
Stores in Hanoi witnessed a flurry of activity on March 7, withshoppers buying up essential goods after the city recorded its first cases ofCOVID-19.
The next morning, however, supermarkets and shops in the city weremostly back to normal – full of products with stable prices.
During a meeting of the steering committee on Covid-19 in Hanoi onMarch 8, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade Tran ThiPhuong Lan said: “Activities at all supermarkets and traditional markets havereturned to normal and there are no price hikes.”
Lan said since the beginning of last month, the department has worked hard tostabilise the prices of commodities.
Lan’s department has directed distribution channels to increase their supply bya further 30 to 50 percent and prepare employees for extra hours as needed.
On March 8, the department and the city’s market watch team checked bothsupermarkets and traditional markets. According to preliminary statistics,prices of commodities such as rice, pork and vegetables have returned tonormal, with little fluctuation.
Among commodities, face masks, especially antibacterial cloth ones, have beenchecked carefully at workshops, supermarkets and traditional markets to ensurequality for users.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the city People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chungsaid: “The hoarding of goods is not necessary because supermarkets in the citywill always serve them.”
Chung requested relevant producers and distributors prepare more goods as wellas hand cleansers and face masks to serve the needs of people.
Nguyen Phuong Mai, 33, said: "It is so funny to see my mother-in-law tryher best to buy a small zucchini for 60,000 VND, three times more expensivethan it often costs, at the local market."
The woman said: "It is so unnecessary. There is a lot of food available inthe supermarket. A few days ago, we still had to buy to help farmers whocould not sell their products."/.
VNA
