Customers buy candies and dried fruits for Tet at a supermarket in HCM City. (Photo: VNA)
HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - Shoppingat supermarkets and traditional markets for the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) has increased significantly in HCM City inrecent days.
The shopping frenzy isexpected to keep rising ahead of the festival, which begins on January 24.
Do Quoc Huy, marketing director of Saigon Co.op,said sales of confectionery and fresh foods, especially poultry meat, pork andbeef, have been up 10-30 percent whilebeer and beverages demand has risenby 10-15 percent.
Inthe run-up to Tet,especially during the weekend and just before the New Year, the number ofshoppers will surely increase further.
Accordingto Big C supermarket, sales have increased a great deal from normal days.
The chain has setaside a large area at its stores to display Tet productssuch as cookies, candies, dried nuts, and regional specialities to make theirshopping convenient.
BigC has stocked around 2,200 tonnes of cookies, candies and candied fruits forthe festival.
PhanVan Dung, deputy general director of foodproducer Vissan Joint Stock Company, said sales of processed products haveincreased by 10– 25 percent in volume from normal days.
Pricesof the company’s processed food products remain steady, he said.
Asfor fresh foods such as pork, Vissan is collaborating with animal farms anddistributors to best meet peak demand in the coming days, he said.
Manysupermarkets have reported a 30 percent increase in the number of shoppers.
Manyare offering discounts of up to 49 percent on thousands of products likecookies, sweets, candied fruits, dried foods, garments and textiles, footwear,and household utensils.
Inthe three days before Tet, somesupermarkets will offer bigger discounts on many essential products.
Tomeet the Tet rush,many supermarkets have also extended their working hours and increased thenumber of cash counters.
Theyare promoting phone orders and online shopping.
At traditional markets like Ben Thanh, Ba Chieu and Thi Nghe, traders said demand for cakes, sweets,beers, and other beverages have surged, with the prices of beers and beveragesgoing up significantly compared to last year.
Demandfor fruits and vegetables is normal and so their prices are steady, a trader atBa Chieu Market in Binh Thạnh district said.
Accordingto forecasts by ministries and other government agencies, demand for Tet holidaythis year would increase by 30 percent – 50 percent compared to normal days and10 percent – 15 percent from last year./.
