Sales from online segment of some big supermarkets in Vietnam increased during national holidays when the retailers launched promotion campaigns for essential products and fresh food as consumption in the period has surged.

Photo: Saigon Co.opmart

Saigon Co.op-owned Co.opmart and Co.opXtra. Food supermarkets saw an increase of 30% in orders in the two days of April 30 and May 1 compared to the period before social distancing was imposed. On May 1 alone, the number of orders via phones and Zalo app spiked, mainly orders of seafood, vegetable and fruits, soft drinks, face masks, kitchen and cooking items with promotions.   

The volume of some frozen items and vegetable sold doubled the previous week, according to Saigon Co.op.

According to Do Quoc Huy, marketing director of Saigon Co.op, in anticipation of an increase of 30-40% of the purchasing power in the national holidays, they have actively prepared to stimulate consumption.

Vinmart, another supermarket chain, has launched its promotion program “Brilliant summer, sales at all levels” with discounts to many items, especially VinEco vegetable and MeatDeli meat from May 1-14.

Big C supermarket has also rolled out program “A week of imported pork” with a 34% discount on pork prices. “In the holidays, the supermarkets were not crowded compared to the previous ones, though the city People’s Committee has loosened social distancing orders,” Nguyen Thi Phuong, deputy general director of Central Retail, which operates the Big C supermarket chain, was quoted as saying. “Local consumers still avoid crowded places due to Covid-19.”

Boost to online channel

Earlier, many retailers have switched from traditional to online channels to adapt to the change in shopping habit due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

From mid-March to present, online sales of supermarkets have increased by 25-30%, according to the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, mainly thanks to the supermarkets' efforts in boosting their online services.

Big C Thang Long supermarket. Photo: Bich Hoi (Kinh te & Do thi)

From the beginning of February, Big C supermarket has deployed “Call for ordering” service with free delivery for any invoice value of VND200,000 (US$8.5) or more. So far, the number of online orders has increased by over 200% compared to the period before the outbreak of Covid-19 in Hanoi.

Co.opmart has promoted online shopping services on its website. Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, director of Co.opmart Ha Dong supermarket told Kinh te & Do thi that since March, online channel sales volume of all the supermarkets nationwide has increased 10 times compared to the normal days. 

BRG Retail’s supermarket system has also boosted online sales through fanpages and emails since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Vietnam. Other supermarkets have also actively stimulated demand by promoting cooperation with e-commerce marketplaces such as Tiki, Shopee and Lazada.

According to local economists, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the economy but will be an impetus to accelerate the industrial 4.0 in many aspects, especially online shopping services. This will also boost the habit of cashless shopping in the upcoming times.