The cashiers at Co.opXtra supermarket in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, were working at full capacity at 9 p.m. on the weekends, with customers having to wait 20 minutes for their turn.

Customers shop at AEON Mall Ha Dong in Hanoi on Feb. 3, 2024.

Crowds were also seen at Lotte, WinMart, Big C and AEON retail outlets in other major cities as people rush to make their final purchases ahead of Tet, the Lunar New Year, which begins Saturday.

Saigon Co.op and AEON both estimated that demand has risen by 10% year-on-year with sales rising weekly, with the former expecting an increase of 20-30% year-on-year after the holiday.

WinCommerce, which operates Vietnam’s biggest retail chain WinMart, said that the number of customers has now surpassed a normal day and is expected to rise as the holiday approaches.

Vietnam’s seven-day Tet holiday begins Thursday.

Kingfoodmart, which operates 50 outlets in HCMC, said that it has increased its supply by 150% from a normal day.

Vietnam’s economy expanded by 5.05% last year, lower than the target by one percentage point due to global difficulties.

This has caused people to start making holiday purchases around two or three weeks later than usual, retailers said.

Lien Nguyen, a representative of Thu Duong, which distributes 10 brands of food in HCMC, said that consumers only start to shop for Tet in the last 10 days, and sales are now 30-40% higher than a normal day.

Quynh, an office worker in Hanoi, said that she only waited to start shopping on Sunday after receiving her annual bonus.

"There are more discounts now, and they are worth the long queuing time at the checkout," she said.

But most customers are prioritizing affordable products to cut expenses.

"The most popular gift basket option was at VND700,000 ($28.73) last year, but this year it is the VND400,000," said Nguyen Thi Bich Van, communications director of Central Retail.

AEON said buyers prioritize spending on the day of discounts to get more for their money after a year of economic challenges.

Cold to return for Tet in northern Vietnam

A mass of cold air will descend on northern Vietnam Wednesday, plunging the region into the cold for three days leading up to the Lunar New Year holiday.

Free of charge coaches take workers home for Tet

Free of charge coaches brought nearly 1,500 disadvantaged workers and their relatives back home for Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday under the “Trade Union Tet Journey” programme held in the northern province of Ha Nam on February 7.

Hanoi peach blossoms flourish as Tet approaches

Nhat Tan Ward, Hanoi's premier peach growing hub, is blanketed in pink as shoppers gather to purchase trees for Lunar New Year decorations.

Vietnamese in UK celebrate traditional Tet

Vietnamese people living in the UK have joined local people in a series of activities imbued with Vietnam’s traditional cultural features to welcome the Lunar New Year of the Dragon.

Tet gathering - spreading love

BAC GIANG- Implementing the “Leave no one behind” target on the occasion of Lunar New Year (or Tet), the all-level Women’s Unions in Bac Giang province have promoted Tet-caring activities for poor women, orphans and needy people with a focus on mountainous and ethnic minority areas.

Source: VnExpress