Consumers shop till they drop during the Reunification Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1) holidays. — VNS Photo Văn Châu

HCM CITY – Retail sales increased in both supermarkets and traditional markets in HCM City during the Reunification Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1) holidays, thanks to numerous promotions.

A 50 per cent discount from April 30 to May 4 saw sales increase by more than 30 per cent compare to normal days at Co.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarket systems.

The most popular items were local seafood, poultry, fruits and vegetables, soft drinks, sunscreens, masks, and kitchen products.

Imported luxury seafood items such as king crabs, shrimp and blue lobsters also saw demand jump.

The high prices of pork boosted sales of seafood by 50 per cent, Trần Văn Trường, director of a seafood import company in the city, said.

Some pork items such as ribs and steak saw prices jump to more than VNĐ200,000 (US$8.5) per kilogramme while Japanese scallops, black tiger shrimp and even baby lobsters cost only VNĐ159,000, he said.

The situation was similar at tradition markets such as the Thủ Đức agricultural wholesale market.

The volume of fruits traded there on April 30 and May 1 was 1,300 tonnes per day, 200 tonnes higher than before the holidays. – VNS