In order to ensure stable supply and prices of groceries and foods, the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade has set up 66 more mobile sales points and 87 fresh food stores.

The mobile sales points will mostly be set up in densely populated areas but with few shops or supermarkets or just small ones and demand is not fully met.

Korean convenience store chain GS25 has been given the go-ahead to organise 87 fresh food stores in 22 city districts and Thu Duc city, according to the department.

The department has also worked with suppliers to organise mobile price-stabilised sales points to mainly benefit poor and disadvantaged people and those living in quarantined and locked-down areas.

Mai Thuy Nhan, general director of GS25, said his company had the resources in place already and all fresh food stores would start functioning by August 4.

Supermarkets and grocery stores are limiting the number of people buying at a time, and many have started selling combination sets comprising groceries for making three meals a day for four people at VND200,000-500,000 (US$8.6-21.7). This ensures people do not have to spend a lot of time selecting individual grocery items.

Deputy head of the department, Nguyen Phuong Dong, has hailed these innovations, saying limiting crowds and increasing supply in this manner would limit the spread of the disease.

Since July 20 the department and groceries and foodstuff distributors have organised 1,269 mobile sales points across the city. — VNS