HCM CITY — Trần Ngọc Mai of HCM City’s Bình Thạnh District bought two Tết hampers at a supermarket in District 2 to gift her relatives for Lunar New Year, which falls on February 16 this year.

She said: “It used to take me much time to choose products, then pack them as gifts to give relatives for Tết. Nowadays, with various kinds of packed Tết gift baskets available at supermarkets and shops, I just need to pick gifts appropriate for my budget and the recipient.”

Understanding consumers’ tastes and market trends, which now favour quality products, retailers and businesses in the city have launched unique gift baskets with eye-catching designs.

According to retailers, shopping for Tết gift hampers has entered the peak season.

Some 10,000 gift hampers are sold every day at Co.opmart, Co.opXtra and Co.op Food, with those priced at VNĐ800,000 (US$35.2) -1.2 million ($52.8) being the most popular.

This year Co.opmart and Co.opXtra are offering 46 different hampers in addition to customised ones.

They usually have beverages, bird’s nest drinks, sugar-coated fruits, confectionary, dried fish and meat, cheese, sausages and others.

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

Those with milk products, oats and Co.op organic rice meeting US and EU organic standards are very popular, according to a Saigon Co.op spokesperson.

Saigon Co.op marketing director Đỗ Quốc Huy said Co.opmart, Co.opXtra and Co.op Food have gift hampers with organic products at VNĐ369,000-699,000 to offer customers more choice as well as to promote the products.

South Korean supermarket chain Lotte Mart is selling 22 kinds of gift hampers based on various themes at prices ranging from VNĐ68,600-1.25 million, with sales going up significantly day by day.

Big C supermarket has 33 kinds of hampers at prices ranging from VNĐ79,000 - 2 million, with those costing VNĐ300,000- VNĐ600,000 being the top sellers.

Retailers are also offering free packaging to customers who want to choose products to put in gift hampers.

Many shops at traditional markets like Tân Định, Thị Nghè and Bà Chiểu are also displaying various kinds of hampers.

Nguyễn Thị Bé Tư, a trader at Thị Nghè Market, said hamper sales have surged recently.

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

Offers of hampers are also flooding shopping websites these days, but experts warned, as always when buying online, caveat emptor.

Farm co-operatives and organic agricultural producers have introduced many gift hampers this year.

Anh Đào 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 fruit and vegetable hampers.

Nguyễn Huỳnh Trang, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade, said his department has kept a close eye on prices in the market.

Companies can easily meet the demand for goods during the country’s biggest festival this year since supply is abundant and prices are under the closest supervision ever, she said.

There will be no shortage of goods or sudden price surges during Tết, while quality would be strictly controlled, she promised. — VNS