In preparation for the Lunar New Year 2025 peak shopping season, manufacturers and businesses in Hanoi are actively stocking up on safe food and goods, as well as implementing price stabilization plans to meet the festive shopping demands of residents.

To support these efforts, city authorities are stepping up inspections to combat counterfeit products, low-quality goods, trade fraud, and food safety offenses.

In preparation for the Lunar New Year 2025 peak shopping season, manufacturers and businesses in Hanoi are actively stocking up on safe food and goods, as well as implementing price stabilization plans to meet the festive shopping demands of residents.

To support these efforts, city authorities are stepping up inspections to combat counterfeit products, low-quality goods, trade fraud, and food safety offenses.

The city's multidisciplinary team of food safety inspectors at Davidcorp Vietnam JSC in Thanh Tri District. Photos: Thanh Binh/The Hanoi Times

Producers increase festive supply

To cater to holiday shoppers, the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade has launched a supply plan aimed at stabilizing prices and stimulating economic growth through consumer incentives.

Nguyen The Hiep, Deputy Director of Hanoi's Department of Industry and Trade, said they have asked production facilities to ensure a sufficient supply of goods for the holiday.

In anticipation of the Lunar New Year, businesses in the city have now increased their supply of festive goods by an average of 7-25%, depending on the item. About 90% of the festive goods are specifically Vietnamese, especially local agricultural products and those produced under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program.

Local manufacturers are ramping up production of all essential and high-demand items for the holiday, which will be distributed through various channels.

Since early October, the Hi-tech Organic Vegetable Production and Consumption Cooperative in Dan Phuong District has been planning for the Lunar New Year. "We have expanded our cultivation area for leafy greens, spices, and premium vegetables that meet VietGap standards," said Dang Thi Cuoi, Director of the cooperative.

Meanwhile, a representative of Vissan, a leading livestock processing company, said the company has increased its inventory by 10-20%. The company's production facilities are increasing output to supply nearly 1,200 tons of fresh food and 4,000 tons of processed food to over 120,000 outlets nationwide during the holiday season.

Ensure sufficient supply of safe goods for holidays

Authorities inspect labels on frozen food at a supermarket in Hoang Mai District. 

Regarding the distribution system, Nguyen The Hiep, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, said that local retailers began negotiating with producers about supply and pricing three to six months ago. This preparation aims to ensure a sufficient supply of goods before, during, and after the Lunar New Year 2025.

Representatives from major distributors, including Saigon Co.op, BRGMart, HaproMart, and Central Retail, have confirmed their plans to increase inventory for the upcoming holiday, expecting a 25-30% increase in supply compared to the 2024 Lunar New Year, he added.

Dinh Quang Khoi, Sales Director of MM Mega Market, said that the company finalized its holiday inventory plans with key suppliers a month ago and expressed optimism about their preparations.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Hien, Head of Marketing at Hanoi Trade Corporation (Hapro), said that BRGMart [Hapro's convenience store] is working with suppliers to forecast consumption rates and has planned to double or triple its inventory for the holiday compared to regular months.

"In addition, we are ensuring transportation logistics during the peak months of December 2024 and January 2025, while tightening quality control and food safety measures. We are also participating in the city's price stabilization program," she said.

According to Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, director of Co.opmart Hanoi, the supermarket is increasing its year-end inventory by about 30-40% compared to normal levels, and by nearly 10% compared to the Lunar New Year 2024. In terms of pricing, the supermarket aims to keep prices stable while increasing promotional offers.

"We have partnered with suppliers, and most are supportive of our efforts to keep prices stable. For vegetables, we have contracts and funding with seven key suppliers to ensure that key items such as carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, bitter melon, and cucumbers are priced above the market average," she said.

In addition to market management strategies and ensuring sufficient stocks of essential goods for the holiday, the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade will continue to work with local businesses to stabilize the market, Hiep said.

The department encourages distribution systems to work with localities to implement mobile sales programs to bring Vietnamese goods to rural areas and industrial zones to serve workers, Hiep added.

"In addition, we urge local businesses to promote trade and organize fairs to showcase Vietnamese products in line with the campaign to promote the use of domestically produced goods," Hiep said.

He emphasized that his department is also coordinating with regulatory agencies to inspect and monitor food safety compliance among producers and retailers, especially for high-demand consumer products during the holiday season.

Hanoi steps up food safety inspections ahead of holiday spike

As the holiday season approaches, Hanoi is experiencing a surge in food consumption, resulting in an increased risk of counterfeit, imitation, and food of unknown origin being circulated in the market. In response to this situation, city authorities are stepping up their inspection and monitoring efforts to protect consumer health.

"To ensure food safety, Hanoi has stepped up inspections of businesses, communal kitchens, food service providers, and street food vendors," said Dang Thanh Phong, director of Hanoi's Sub-Department of Food Safety and Hygiene. "These activities are aimed at raising awareness among producers, traders, and consumers."

In a recent inspection by the Hanoi Health Inspectorate, a restaurant in Ba Dinh District was fined VND12.5 million (US$472) for providing catering services without a food safety certificate. Similarly, World of Seafood Import-Export JSC in Cau Giay District was fined VND16 million (US$629) for violating the three-step food inspection regulations and failing to comply with the food sample storage regulation.

Meanwhile, the Hanoi Market Surveillance Agency also seized nearly 70,000 unlabeled bottles of bird's nest drink and over 1.6 tons of pork trotters without invoices or proof of origin. These cases are yet another warning of the continued presence of unsafe food products on the market.

Hanoi has more than 72,000 food production, processing, and trading enterprises, of which the health sector oversees about 39,000. To ensure food safety during the Lunar New Year (Tet) and Spring Festival in 2025, the Hanoi People's Committee has launched a comprehensive plan.

Four inter-agency inspection teams will monitor food safety at all stages - production, processing, trade, import and consumption - from December 15, 2024 to March 15, 2025. The initiative aims to prevent food poisoning and mitigate risks during the festive season.

The plan emphasizes accountability at all government levels, from the city to local wards and communes.  Authorities will evaluate compliance with safety regulations among production facilities, businesses, and importers.

Key areas of focus include raising public awareness about food safety and promoting safe food handling practices to prevent alcohol-related poisoning. 

Hanoi has specifically targeted inspections of high-risk foods commonly consumed during Tet, food processing villages, and businesses in markets and supermarkets to identify and address any food safety breaches.