A report from Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Saigon) found that Thai products dominated shelves. — Photo nld.com.vn

Viet Nam News -HCM CITY — Imported goods, including home appliances and food, have begun to dominate shelves in malls and specialty shops.

In HCM City’s District 7, for example, housewife Minh Phương can find imported products from Thailand, Japan and the US at supermarkets and shopping malls.

“These products are on many shelves at Lotte Mart and Giant near my house. Many smaller stores specialising in products from one country have opened in District 7, especially in Phú Mỹ Hưng City Centre,” she said.

In the past, imported products were mostly clothes, footwear and cosmetics, but they now range from instant noodles to canned food and home appliances. Fresh fruit imports are also common.

E-mart, a South Korean shopping mall in Gò Vấp District, which opened late last year, has attracted many customers.

One consumer told Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) newspaper said that her family visits the supermarket and has dinner there five times a week.

“The products are diverse while the price is competitive. The space and decor are clean and beautiful,” she explained.

At Metro An Phú in HCM City, the volume of Thai products increased from the day it was sold to Thailand’s Berli Jucker Public Company Ltd.

A source from Metro told Việt Nam News that although Thailand products accounted for only 2 per cent of goods, the total number had increased after Berli Jucker’s acquisition.

A report from Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Saigon) also found that Thai products dominated shelves.

Shopping malls like the Japanese-owned Aeon Mall and Korean-owned Lotte Mart also offer many Japanese and South Korean products.

Imported products are also being offered online, as e-commerce has developed rapidly in Việt Nam.

Customers can easily buy fruit and fresh meat from Australia, the US and New Zealand by just picking up a phone and placing an order.

Technician Kiều Oanh said her news feed on Facebook has many daily notifications from sellers of imported fruit.

She said that buying imported fruit was a better alternative as local fruit had become more expensive and the quality varied from shop to shop.

On Lý Thường Kiệt Street in HCM City, the owner of a shop that imports 30 boxes of foreign fruits a day usually sells out by 2pm.

Daiso stores selling Japanese products and small convenience shops selling Thai products have also become more popular.

In HCM City, several shops selling Japanese products on Lê Thánh Tôn Street have opened to meet increased demand. — VNS