Citizens flock to E-Mart Supermarket in Go Vap District to buy goods on May 30 before HCMC carries out social distancing. (Photo: SGGP)
Overloaded purchasing power in Go Vap District
According to customer feedback, some supermarkets and convenience stores in Go Vap have failed to meet the overwhelming purchasing power of local people. Many essential food items, such as vegetables, fruits, rice, instant noodles, instant pho, and dried rice vermicelli, are constantly out of stock despite the supermarkets' efforts to supply goods. At the same time, supermarkets have also continuously informed that they will extend their opening hours, and there is no shortage of goods.
At Emart Supermarket in Go Vap, a long line of customers waits for their turn to disinfect their hands and measure body temperatures. Inside the supermarket, people rushed to buy fresh foods, vegetables, fruits, instant noodles, seasoning powder, and fish sauce. The number of customers was large so, even though there were still goods, the supermarket staff could not replenish goods in time, leaving several shelves empty. The supermarket had arranged 42 checkout counters. However, because of the large number of people, they could not serve customers quickly. Therefore, each counter had dozens of people waiting in line for their turn to check out.
Similarly, markets and points of sale of poultry meat, livestock, vegetables, and fruits also prepared a much higher volume of goods than normal days. However, due to the extremely high purchasing power, many points of sale had run out of goods right from mid-afternoon.
By 5 p.m. on the same day, it seems that buyers had calmed down more, and supermarkets had had better-coordinated supply plans, so goods were no longer locally scarce.
Nguyen Anh Duc, General Director of Saigon Co.op, said that at supermarkets in the retail system of Saigon Co.op, the volume of essential goods is always stockpiled 30-40 percent higher, compared to that in normal days. Currently, the flow of goods of Saigon Co.op from provinces to Ho Chi Minh City remains smooth and stable. Supermarkets are willing to extend their opening hours to serve the maximum demand of customers. Nevertheless, they still ensure pandemic prevention requirements, such as requiring customers to wear masks and disinfect their hands before entering the supermarkets and setting the temperature at above 25 degrees Celsius inside the supermarkets.
Goods are abundant and enough for continuous supply
Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of HCMC, said that after receiving information that the purchasing power at some supermarkets increased suddenly, the department actively worked with representatives of large-scale supermarkets and convenience stores in the area, namely Saigon Co.op, Vinmart, and MM Mega Market, to grasp the situation.
These retailers affirmed that the quantity of goods is abundant, capable of supplying continuously and sufficiently for the consumption demand of citizens. At the same time, the distributors have actively worked with manufacturers and suppliers of essential food and foodstuff items to prepare the source of goods to fully meet the shopping demand of citizens in the last six months of the year.
According to customer feedback, some supermarkets and convenience stores in Go Vap have failed to meet the overwhelming purchasing power of local people. Many essential food items, such as vegetables, fruits, rice, instant noodles, instant pho, and dried rice vermicelli, are constantly out of stock despite the supermarkets' efforts to supply goods. At the same time, supermarkets have also continuously informed that they will extend their opening hours, and there is no shortage of goods.
At Emart Supermarket in Go Vap, a long line of customers waits for their turn to disinfect their hands and measure body temperatures. Inside the supermarket, people rushed to buy fresh foods, vegetables, fruits, instant noodles, seasoning powder, and fish sauce. The number of customers was large so, even though there were still goods, the supermarket staff could not replenish goods in time, leaving several shelves empty. The supermarket had arranged 42 checkout counters. However, because of the large number of people, they could not serve customers quickly. Therefore, each counter had dozens of people waiting in line for their turn to check out.
Similarly, markets and points of sale of poultry meat, livestock, vegetables, and fruits also prepared a much higher volume of goods than normal days. However, due to the extremely high purchasing power, many points of sale had run out of goods right from mid-afternoon.
By 5 p.m. on the same day, it seems that buyers had calmed down more, and supermarkets had had better-coordinated supply plans, so goods were no longer locally scarce.
Nguyen Anh Duc, General Director of Saigon Co.op, said that at supermarkets in the retail system of Saigon Co.op, the volume of essential goods is always stockpiled 30-40 percent higher, compared to that in normal days. Currently, the flow of goods of Saigon Co.op from provinces to Ho Chi Minh City remains smooth and stable. Supermarkets are willing to extend their opening hours to serve the maximum demand of customers. Nevertheless, they still ensure pandemic prevention requirements, such as requiring customers to wear masks and disinfect their hands before entering the supermarkets and setting the temperature at above 25 degrees Celsius inside the supermarkets.
Goods are abundant and enough for continuous supply
Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of HCMC, said that after receiving information that the purchasing power at some supermarkets increased suddenly, the department actively worked with representatives of large-scale supermarkets and convenience stores in the area, namely Saigon Co.op, Vinmart, and MM Mega Market, to grasp the situation.
These retailers affirmed that the quantity of goods is abundant, capable of supplying continuously and sufficiently for the consumption demand of citizens. At the same time, the distributors have actively worked with manufacturers and suppliers of essential food and foodstuff items to prepare the source of goods to fully meet the shopping demand of citizens in the last six months of the year.
Citizens flock to E-Mart Supermarket in Go Vap District to buy goods on May 30 before HCMC carries out social distancing. (Photo: SGGP)
The information about the scarcity of goods and the empty shelves is because supermarket staff has not yet refilled goods on the shelves timely. And there is absolutely no shortage of goods. According to Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, with the careful preparation of the source of goods, a variety of models, guaranteed quality, and stable prices, people should not stockpile goods during this time, causing panic, affecting the market. Besides, people should prioritize shopping online to limit going to crowded places. On the other hand, the Department of Industry and Trade has also required enterprises to ensure an adequate, continuous, and smooth supply of gasoline and oil products, essential food and foodstuffs, masks, hand sanitizers, and disinfectant solutions. All officers, employees, and workers who directly work at the stores are required to wear masks and wash their hands with hand sanitizers during close contact with customers. The People's Committee of Thu Duc City and districts are required to strengthen inspection and supervision and strictly handle cases of trading in medical masks, hand sanitizers, disinfectant solutions without listing prices or overcharging at markets, supermarkets, shopping centers, pharmacies, and stores in the area. Authorities should strengthen the guidance of units doing business in the field of markets, including wholesale markets, supermarkets, shopping centers, and stores in the area to adjust the temperature at points of sale to above 25 degrees Celsius as required by the city.
