Customers shop at a supermarket in HCM City. Supermarkets keep prices steady, even launch promotions, despite oil shock. — Photo courtesy of Central Retail

HCM CITY — Many supermarkets are under pressure from suppliers of foodstuffs and other consumer goods producers to raise prices following a sharp increase in petroleum prices, but they are negotiating hard to keep them steady and have launched promotions.

Bùi Trung Chính, food purchasing manager at AEON Vietnam, said some suppliers of fresh and dry foods like rice, noodles and others want to raise prices.

His company is trying to negotiate with them to keep prices unchanged, and is willing to accept lower profit margins, he claimed.

In the case of fresh and frozen products, suppliers want to raise the prices mainly of imported items due to the impact of the world-wide labour shortage and higher transport costs, he said.

AEON is seeking more quality domestic products at reasonable prices that can replace these imported items, and co-ordinating with suppliers to launch promotions, he added.

Nguyễn Thị Bích Vân, head of communications at Central Retail Vietnam, said the increase in fuel prices has affected all suppliers, especially fresh food suppliers. As a socially responsible retailer, her company negotiates prices daily with partners to benefit consumers.

Nguyễn Anh Đức, general director of Saigon Co.op, said Saigon Co.op has made a commitment to partners and customers to ensure steady supply for a certain period of time.

“Saigon Co.op does not have plans to increase prices of essential items, and has managed to keep prices steady, especially with people just having experienced the fourth wave of COVID-19.”

Saigon Co.op is co-ordinating with partners to offer discounts of up to 50 per cent on 3,000 essential products at its Co.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarkets until the end of this month.

Co.opmart and Co.opXtra are collaborating with brands such as Cholimex, Maggi, Simply, Neptune, Chin Su, Knorr, and Liên Thành to offer discounts of 15- 50 per cent on cooking oils, chilli, soy and fish sauces, sugar, rice, instant noodles, seasoning, and others.

It has also slashed the prices of fresh foods by 15-20 per cent and vegetables and fruits by up to 20 per cent, and by up to 50 per cent when customers buy the second, fourth or sixth item of a product.

Big C, Tops Market and GO! supermarkets belonging to Central Retail Vietnam have launched a ‘Super save’ programme with big discounts on many products until March 23.

Some 390 products, including fresh foods, fast moving consumer goods, cosmetics and chemicals, household appliances, and apparels, have their prices cut by up to 50 per cent at GO! and Big C stores, while more than 400 products like fruits and vegetables, fresh meats and fish and imported products carry discounts of up to 50 per cent at Tops Market. —  VNS