People shop for essential goods at a Co.op Mart supermarket on Friday morning to prepare for Typhoon Yagi. — Photo courtesy of Co.op Mart

HÀ NỘI — Some major supermarkets in the north have increased their supplies as the third typhoon of the year, Super Typhoon Yagi, is forecast to make landfall on Saturday.

Representatives from AEON, Co.op Mart and Go! (known as Big C) said a huge surge of customers has been recorded at their supermarkets on Thursday and Friday, Zing News reported.

Essential goods such as rice, vegetables, fruit, fish, meat and instant noodles are constantly running out as people stock up for the next few days in fear of heavy rainfall and floods expected from Yagi.

A representative from AEON Hải Phòng said purchases have increased by 20 per cent. Since Hải Phòng City is by the sea, the impact of the typhoon will likely be particularly strong there and in other coastal areas.

Other AEON supermarkets in the north have doubled and tripled their supplies, especially fresh food, and proactively worked with their suppliers to make sure there will be no shortage of goods.

Emergency tools such as flashlights, raincoats, boots and disposable food containers have also been well-stocked, AEON representatives said.

The Co.op Mart supermarket chain has also seen an increase of 30 per cent in purchases, causing many stores to triple their inventories.

A similar pattern was seen at Go! super markets in Hải Phòng and Quảng Ninh, said a representative from the Central Retail commercial group, but there have not been any shortages or price hikes.

They have doubled up on essential supplies to make sure prices remain stable. Go! and Big C stores in the north will be open until 11pm on Friday instead of 10pm, Central Retail said. — VNS