In addition to the supplying system of goods through a modern retail chain at traditional markets and retail points, essential goods to serve the needs of the 2022 Lunar New Year began to bustle. Up to date, essential goods serving shopping needs are plentiful and prices are stable.
Small traders of traditional markets in the area prepare an abundant supply of goods to serve the needs of people during Tet
Abundant goods
At the time, although it is still very early to purchase goods for Tet, but around the markets in Thu Dau Mot City, Di An City, Ben Cat Town and other places, the atmosphere is prepared to serve customers. Tet shopping starts bustling with jams, confectionery, clothes, shoes, furniture etc. launched in the market with increased quantity, richer and more diversified designs.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy, the owner of a grocery store at An Tay market in Ben Cat town, said that in addition to the volume and group of goods for daily business, her store has now imported other items such as nuts, seeds, jams, cakes, beer, wine, and soft drinks to serve the shopping needs of local people.
The owner of a grocery store on Ly Thuong Kiet street of Phu Cuong ward in Thu Dau Mot City, said that although the COVID-19 epidemic has affected the business situation, the agent has actively placed orders at companies to serve them for the upcoming holiday needs. This year, items such as drinks, dried food and jam are taken care of by companies with good quality, good designs, and different prices, so in general, consumers can freely choose without worrying about the prices.
Although the number of visitors to the market is not much, at the time the prices of many items are still slightly increased. Currently, the price of nuts ranges from VND 180,000 to 400,000 a kilo, for example, melon seeds VND 180,000, dried lotus seeds VND 280,000, garlic cashews VND 200,000, pistachios VND 400,000, and VND 300,000 - 400,000 for fruit jams.
Expectation of increased purchase power
Recently, many convenience stores, retail outlets, and large grocery agents have appeared in the province, so the situation of "dividing customers" has significantly affected trading activities in traditional markets. However, the increasing demands for daily consumption have prompted business households at large and small markets in the area actively reserve and offer very competitive prices, besides selling at the right listed prices to avoid congestion and price hike. However, the purchasing power at the markets is still not high.
The owner of Nga confectionery shop on Doan Tran Nghiep street in Phu Cuong ward of Thu Dau Mot city confirmed that the price of confectionery and jam has increased by about 10-15%. The prices of many items have increased quite high and the source of goods was not much while the production facilities were also very wary of consumption, so the price of some jams was about VND 10,000 a kilo higher than the previous year, but small traders still sell at the old prices to ensure the consumption of imported goods and the stimulation of purchasing power.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Lai Thieu ward in Thuan An city, said many reasons persisted for low purchasing power. Firstly, the traditional market must compete with many other retail channels. Secondly, this is not the time when the Tet goods market is in full bloom, thatt is usually from the 15th to the 28th and 29th of the 12th lunar month when the purchasing power will increase sharply. The most important reason is that manufacturers have been more cautious in their plan to supply goods to the market while small traders are concerned about weak purchasing power, so prices of Tet goods at the market are quite stable. From now until the Lunar New Year, the ward will coordinate with the health sector and market management to strengthen the inspection and control of the market for goods and prices at markets and selling points in the area to stabilize the source of products, prices and food hygiene and safety to serve consumers," said Ms. Mai.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Toan, Director of Department of Industry and Trade, said that according to the plan to stabilize the essential commodity market in the Lunar New Year 2022 and respond to the COVID-19 epidemic in the "new normal", Department of Industry and Trade is taking steps to inspect and control the stockpiling of essential goods at traditional markets to serve the shopping needs of the people. Accordingly, it is expected that 9 districts, towns and cities in the province will reserve about 1,133 tons of food, 2,799 tons of processed food, and 745 tons of fresh food with a total value of VND 211.2 billion.
Reported by Thanh Hong – Translated by Vi Bao
