Major retailers in Hanoi including Saigon Co.op and Hanoi Trade Corporation (Hapro) are stepping up their preparation ahead Tet (the Lunar New Year) holiday, the Vietnam’s largest festive period of the year.

Shopping at Big C Thang Long. Photo: Thanh Hai.

“We have stockpiled a large amount of basic necessities worth VND5 trillion (US$215.8 million), up 20% against the same period of last year, to ensure customers’ needs in the three-month period  before, during and after the Lunar New Year holiday,” Managing Director of Co.opmart Ha Dong Nguyen Thi Kim Dung told Hanoitimes.

A large chunk of the budget is allocated to stock up nine staples under the price stabilization program, including rice, cooking oil, pork, poultry, egg, processed food, vegetable, seafood, and sugar, she added.

In addition to stockpiling goods, Saigon Co.op has been preparing scenarios to ensure continuity in delivering goods to customers amid the complicated Covid-19 situation, Mrs. Dung informed.

“Besides basic necessities, Saigon Co.op has reserved a large amount of anti-pandemic supplies including face masks or hand sanitizers,” Mrs. Dung stated.

Head of Hapro’s Marketing Department Nguyen Thi Thu Hien told Hanoitimes the year-end festive period is a golden opportunity to keep up the revenue, for which the company has been offering sales events for the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays.

In response to Hanoi’s efforts in promoting domestic consumption of specialties from other provinces/cities across the country, Mrs. Hien said Hapro is actively cooperating with localities in organizing 20 trade promotion events to stimulate demand and consumption of safe and quality farm produce.

“Hapro has provided provinces/cities with showrooms to display their specialties in Hanoi. These include Seng Cu rice or San Tuyet tea from Ha Giang province on Hang Bong street, or specialties of Dong Thap on Hang Gai street.”

To prevent fake, low quality and smuggled products penetrating the market, Deputy Head of Hanoi Market Surveillance Tran Viet Hung said his agency will intensify its market inspection during the final month of the year and the Lunar New Year holiday.

“We have a hotline number (0945.131.911) for customers to quickly report on these products, and continue to raise the public awareness regarding negative impacts of low and fake goods,” Mr. Hung suggested.