Employees at a Co.op Food store check stocks on August 23 morning. — Photo tuoitre.vn

HCM CITY — Supermarkets like Saigon Co.op, AEON, MM Mega Market, and Satra said they are still open in HCM City and ready to work with local authorities to supply consumers.

But they have temporarily prohibited customers from coming in amid the city’s stricter COVID-19 prevention measures which came into force since early Monday.

Until September 6 people have been told to “stay where they are”, with local officials helping them buy essential goods.

At apartment buildings that have supermarkets and convenience stores, residents can continue to buy but with some restrictions.

Supermarkets are selling various combinations of essential goods at specific prices, delivering them to local officials.

A Satra spokesperson said three supermarkets and more than 100 stores are still open from 7:00am to 4:30pm daily and work closely with local authorities to distribute goods.

It has six different combinations for customers at an average price of VNĐ300,000 and with a variety of items like eggs, vegetables, chicken, beef, pork, and others, he said.

The ward officials pool orders and send them to the supermarkets before 11.30 each day, and the goods are packed and delivered to a collection point in each ward by next morning, with people making payments on receipt of the goods, he said.

An employee of a Co.op Food store in Bạch Đằng Street, Bình Thạnh District, said the store is open from 6am until 5pm as usual, but on Monday morning only half its employees could come past checkpoints.

A Saigon Co.op spokesperson said various sales options have been sent to special working groups in wards such as shared purchase and combos.

According to Central Retail Vietnam, on Monday Big C, Tops Market and Go! supermarkets opened as usual.

They too are selling various combos based on consumers’ nutritional needs, like vegetables, meat and fish, including for children, seniors and people with special diets.

AEON Vietnam too has combos and the normal quantities of stocks.

Emart Vietnam said it has chosen to close its doors and no customers are let in from Monday, but has employees staying onsite to co-ordinate with local officials to supply goods. It has reduced stocks since the demand is not clear yet.

A District 8 Economic Department official said five distribution systems, including San Hà, Bách Hóa Xanh, Saigon Co.op, and Satra, would fully meet local needs.

The district has 108,000 households, of whom 47,000 households are poor and receive essential items from the city, he said.

The remaining 61,000 households need support in buying goods and the district has decided to offer 12 combos for them to choose from.

Retailers will send uniform price quotes. A household can register to buy a few combos to meet its needs. Currently the district works with distributors and has the ability to meet 4,000 orders a day, he added.

Producers of essential goods and supermarkets said there is no shortage of goods, but want authorities to quickly issue travel permits to their staff to ensure distribution. — VNS