Cutting down on grocery shopping, limiting shopping, spending modestly during Tet... but many readers said they are still struggling due to reduced income, while some essential goods and food prices are increasing.
Many traditional markets have been in a prolonged slump - Photo: QUANG BAO
The article "Unexpectedly deserted markets and supermarkets with few customers, why?" published in Tuoi Tre on February 18 attracted many comments from readers, most of whom pointed out that the reason was due to people tightening their spending.
Some opinions say that online business "dominates" so markets and supermarkets are facing difficulties. Therefore, sellers have to change to survive.
Unexpected price spike
Speaking of prices, reader thie****@gmail.com said that on the morning of February 18, he was very surprised by the skyrocketing prices. At the market, pork belly and duck eggs were 125,000 VND per kilo before Tet, but today they are 140,000 VND.
Bitter melon 15,000 VND, now 20,000 VND. Vermicelli before Tet 10,000, now 12,000 VND. Rice of a familiar brand, 5kg bag, before Tet 105,000 VND, now 125,000 VND. Fish sauce of a brand with 25 degrees of nitrogen, 1 liter bottle, before Tet 54,000, now 62,000 VND...
"Almost all items have increased in price and I see fewer buyers," this reader wrote.
Compare prices before and after Tet, readers Ngo T. Hien said that before Tet, the price of goods skyrocketed by 20-25% compared to normal, so after Tet, the price must be returned to normal for people to be able to bear it.
The price of meat before Tet was only over 90,000 VND/kg, but during Tet it increased to 140,000 VND/kg.
More realistically, according to PTT readers, in 2024, a bowl of pho will cost 35,000 VND, a bowl of hu tieu will cost 30,000 VND. By 2025, a bowl of pho will cost 40,000 VND, hu tieu will cost 35,000 VND. Even a glass of sugarcane juice or coconut water will increase, so people will have to tighten their spending.
Clearly counting the number of times they go out to eat, reader Thanh said that his family of four in Ho Chi Minh City used to go out to eat every week and buy 7-9 million VND worth of food each month.
Since Tet, we haven't gone out to eat. It took us two weeks to buy 2.4 million VND for food for the whole family because it was hard to earn money so we were tight on every penny. Last Tet, we spent 15-20 million VND, this Tet, we only spent 5 million VND but we're still "poor".
Similarly, reader Vu believes that the main reason is that people are tightening their spending. As evidence, the reader said that his family now only goes to the market once every two days and mainly buys fresh food for the two young children, while the adults eat vegetables and fish sauce to get by.
To save money during this time, reader Hoan said his family buys just enough food during Tet and mostly buys from supermarkets because they have promotions.
However, this reader acknowledged that in recent years the economic situation has been difficult, so markets and supermarkets are less crowded than before.
Having a more relaxed view when assessing the sparse market is due to people shopping according to their needs, reader Nguyen Phong Phu said that before Tet, people also tightened their shopping, during Tet, people rushed to shop, and then after Tet, people focused on working to earn money, only focusing on buying necessary food and provisions.
More online shopping, how should markets change to survive?
In addition to economic difficulties, many readers believe that online business is growing strongly, making shopping activities in many supermarkets, especially traditional markets, even more sluggish.
A reader named Lao Gan said that where he lives, the homeowners have a Zalo group specializing in daily food and drinks. Out of 100 members, up to 30 people make their own food and sell it in and out of the group. Grandparents, husbands and children also become delivery staff. So the market and supermarket market share has been divided.
Reader huut****@gmail.com believes that online shopping now accounts for 60-70% of the total volume of goods circulating in the country, with shippers going to every corner to deliver the smallest items at very low fees.
Therefore, people rarely buy from traditional markets and shops on main roads and streets have to close one after another because they cannot afford the huge rental fees.
Meanwhile, reader Phuoc affirm that now people do not need to go far, do not need to go to the supermarket or the market. Essential sales services are very simple such as groceries, vegetable stalls, meat and fish... are sold everywhere, from the beginning of the alley to the end of the alley.
From another perspective, reader Tuan said that when passing by the front of a market, he smelled a foul smell coming from the wastewater being dumped directly onto the street.
"People still eat the same amount of rice, salt, and sugar. It's just that when there are many places to choose from, people will choose places that are clean, hygienic, and convenient. Traditional markets need to change to survive, otherwise they will just hold out, serving a small number of customers," this reader commented.
On the contrary, according to reader Nguyen Phong Phu, many people are used to shopping online and abandoning traditional markets is not quite right.
"Online people only buy products that are not sold in traditional markets or are sold at prices that are more expensive than online. Many people still have the habit of seeing the real product firsthand before buying because they are worried about the quality of counterfeit goods."
A reader also affirmed that he never buys online because he cannot see or hold the item in his hands, and when it comes to delivery, it is a matter of luck, so he still chooses the market. Secondly, he does not buy online but chooses supermarkets because the origin and price of the item are clear.
Unexpectedly deserted markets and supermarkets with few customers, why?Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ly-nuoc-mia-nuoc-dua-cung-tang-gia-nen-phai-that-chat-chi-tieu-2025021910134428.htm
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