Hanoi supermarkets refill shelves for Covid-19 buyers

Supermarket shelves have been filled again as supermarkets and local authorities assure citizens that there will be enough food for Hanoi.

Hanoi supermarkets refill food

After the first Covid-19 case was announced in Hanoi on March 6, it immediately sparked panic buying. Customers emptied both traditional markets and supermarkets to stockpile food. Both the supermarket managers and local authorities have issued assurances that there is enough food for everyone.

On March 8, food was quickly brought to the capital demand also decreased. At Big C Supermarket on Tran Duy Hung Street, the employees restocked meat, vegetables and fruits shelves every 20 minutes. The number of customers at Mega Market Pham Van Dong also decreased and became stable. The supermarket said they had huge supplies for any worst-case scenario.

Nguyen Thi Hong from My Dinh said, "I thought the supermarkets would be crowded today so I came early but the huge crowds and long queues are no longer there. Everyone has calmed down now."

The same situation can also be seen in traditional markets like Dich Vong and Co Nhue. The average meat prices increased by VND5,000 (21 US cents) to VND10,000 a kilo. Various supermarket representatives also assured people to remain calm and only buy enough food for themselves.

Tran Kim Nga, PR Manager at Mega Market Vietnam, said they had worked with the suppliers and farmers to increase supplies by 190-1,500% to a value of over VND1.2trn (USD51.6m). "We’re working closely with our partners to increase the supplies to the northern region to prevent overcharging," she said.

Nguyen Thi Phuong, deputy director of Central Retail, the managing company of Big C and Go!, said temporary shortages were caused by panic buying. However, they have quickly worked with suppliers to ensure there would not be any long-term shortages.