Foreign visitors shop at Bến Thành Market in HCM City's District 1. Photo nguoidothi.net.vn

HCM CITY – People's consumption habits have changed making comprehensive measures to improve the quality of traditional markets imperative, according to the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade.

Addressing a seminar on "Development orientation for the market model in District 1" in HCM City on March 27, Nguyễn Nguyên Phương, deputy director of the department, said traditional markets still play an important role as a focal point for goods circulation and providing food to people.

They are also a cultural feature, he added said.

The city has 233 traditional markets that supply enough materials for people to cook millions of meals every day.

In recent times many of them like Bình Tây, Bến Thành and An Đông markets have been upgraded or repaired to meet the increasing needs of customers.

But consumers nowadays are prioritising food safety and hygiene and goods with clear origins, and along with promotional programmes offered by supermarkets and malls, this causes them to increasingly switch to the latter.

Traditional markets still lack food traceability and professional service.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade, the number of shoppers at traditional markets is down 20-30 per cent down from before COVID-19 and 30-50 per cent down since 2019.

The number buying ingredients for food is down 10-30 per cent compared to pre-pandemic times.

Shopping for machinery accessories, food additives and household appliances has fallen by 20-40 per cent, and the number buying groceries, clothing and footwear is down 50-70 per cent.

Purchase of clothes has decreased by 60-90 per cent.

Speaking about plans for development of traditional markets this decade, he said their number would be reduced to 216, with 199 kept as they are and 17 newly built.

Their service quality would be improved along with modernization, and many would be developed into tourist attractions and shopping destinations, he added.

Nguyễn Duy An, deputy chairman of the District 1 People's Committee, said his district will deploy the construction of traditional markets in the area in the direction of modernisation, applying digital transformation to improve the quality of shopping and tourism services. – VNS