The 'zero dong' Happy supermarket chain has opened its store at the Grand Plaza commercial center in Cau Giay district since April 13 to provide essential goods for the underprivileged people who are struggling with difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The store chain has been launched in eight cities and provinces namely Hanoi, Lang Son, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Thai Nguyen, Thua Thien - Hue and Phu Yen, and will remain open from 8:00 to 17:00 every day until the end of the pandemic.

The supermarkets aim to supply people with essential goods such as rice, cooking oil, eggs, salt, sugar, among others. People can “buy” items worth a maximum street value of VND100,000 (US$4.3) each visit at a price of zero dong.

A large number of people flocked to the supermarket on April 14 morning.

Nguyen Quang Huy, a representative of the program, said that the organizers will launch other supermarkets in Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces. “On the first day, 400 local residents came to the supermarket in Hanoi and throughout the chain, a thousand people visited our supermarkets,” he said.

People comply with the regulation of keeping a two-meter distance from others, before entering the supermarket.

The authorities request people to keep distance between themselves according to the regulations.

Many people facing hardship sign up to receive goods.

Besides essential goods, the program also provides clothes, socks and face masks to people.

All the items at the supermarket cost nothing (VND0).

Volunteers arrange goods on the shelves.

Photos: Ngoc Tu (Kinh te & Do thi)