People rush to supermarkets

In recent days, Big C Dong Nai is crowded with customers. Two programs entitled “To honor Vietnamese beauty” and “Cheapest price ever” were launched at the same time, making a great number of customers rush to the supermarket to get products on the cheap.

The Director of Public Relations of Big C, Duong Thi Thuy Trang said: “These promotion programs were successful. Cosmetics purchase increased by 300%; fresh food up 100% compared with normal days”.    

Many products are hot in the supermarket with shocking prices, including Tomato with VND3,900/kg, cucumber with VND4,900/kg, carrot with VND6,900/kg, cabbage with VND3,000/kg, a roasted chicken with VND44,900/chicken, Bac-Trung-Nam instant noodles with VND43,900/a cardboard box of packs of noodles, etc.    

Customers are struggling for tomatoes in Big C supermarket.

Although amount to buy is limited for each person a day, many people are seen to stock up on goods to resell.   

For tomatoes, the price in the supermarkets is one third as much as that in markets, which attracted a large number of customers to come here. For the time being, tomatoes back to VND9,900/kg. Tran Thanh Loan, a “slow-paced” customer expressed her sadness “Some days ago, I didn’t have time to go to supermarket. Today, when coming in here, items with special offers are running out. However, price of tomatoes here (VND9,900/kg) is still much lower than that in markets.”

Meanwhile, although competed by big programs of Big C, supermarkets inside Bien Hoa city and Coopmart still maintain their stable number of customers. For the time being, Co.op Mart also launch a promotion program till March 28 for over 320 items with 10% to 34% discount.

But markets appear quiet. Many small traders confessed that people would go to markets less and less; instead, they loosened their purse strings in supermarkets. They just buy some sundry items and food in here.       

Marketeers are waiting for buyers

“Now, dealing in markets has not been as favorable as it used to be. More and more supermarkets open with lower and stable price than in markets as well as their modern shopping environment, attracting a vast number of customers”, says Tran Thi Thoai Yen, a small trader in Bien Hoa Market.    

Another small trader said that it was difficult to compete with supermarkets in terms of price and promotion programs. He added: “Just make a comparison. Tomatoes here are priced at VND15,000/kg, whereas they cost VND4000/kg in supermarkets. Our regular customers one after another left markets. It is unmarketable in here now.”      

It is undeniable that because of price hikes at this time and many attractive promotion programs, supermarkets attracted a huge number of customers, which is seen to be their efforts to stabilize prices, share difficulty with consumers and help calm market.   

Reported by Thanh Minh, translated by Hoai Thu