New Year gift hampers sold at Co.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarkets come in a diverse range and are affordable. Photo congthuong.vn

HCM CITY – With people forced to tighten their purse strings due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tết gift hamper sellers have switched to predominantly local products to ensure prices remain affordable.

Thanks to this, sales have prospered in recent days and are expected to remain strong during the lead-up to Tết, experts said.

Hampers sold at supermarkets and other places include items typically used during Tết such as confectionery, cooking oil, soft drinks, instant coffee, wine, and Tết jams.

Their prices range from 200,000 to several million đồng.

At Co.opmart supermarkets, the hampers are carefully selected to ensure quality.

Nguyễn Ngọc Thắng, director of operations, said to stimulate demand amid the belt tightening, this year Co.opmart and Co.opXtra are offering dozens of different hampers besides customised ones.

Most have beverages, bird’s-nest drinks, sugared fruits, confectionery, dry fish and meat, cheese, sausages, and others.

Some also contain speciality agricultural products like diễn grapefruit, canh orange and cashew.

MM Mega Market is offering theme-based hampers at a range of prices from VNĐ300,000 to VNĐ3 million (US$13-130), and demand for them is increasing by the day.

Retailers are also offering free packaging for customised hampers.

Shops in traditional markets like Tân Định, Thị Nghè and Bà Chiểu are also displaying various kinds of hampers.

Trần Văn Nho, a trader at Tân Định, said sales had been very good, thanks to the variety of goods and prices that meet a wide range of needs.

“Besides hampers, customers also want to buy individual items to gift and my shop packs the gifts for them.”

Shopping websites are also flooded with hampers these days, but experts said, as always, when buying online, buyers should be careful.

Farm co-operatives and organic agricultural producers are offering many gift hampers this year.

Hoa Cảnh Co-operative in Lâm Đồng Province, for instance, which grows fruits and vegetables to VietGap and Global standards, is selling 20 kinds of fresh and dried fruits and vegetable hampers. – VNS