Gas price relief prompts retailers to keep essential goods prices stable

Gas price relief has given retailers momentum to keep selling prices stable, supported by government efforts to strengthen macro management, business commitments to price stability, and retailers’ focus on increasing procurement. Despite rising input costs, modern retail chains—backed by supplier networks, warehousing, and logistics—continue to play a key role in stabilizing the market.

Retailers expand promotions to hold down prices

In early April, GO! supermarkets ran promotions on more than 20,000 fast-moving consumer goods valid until June 30, 2026. Many essential items were discounted heavily, including cakes and snacks and products for children (each discounted by over 30%), while spices and daily necessities were adjusted to stabilization price levels.

From April 9 to 22, 2026, Saigon Co.op implemented the “Happy Cooperative Day – Honoring Vietnamese Quality” program, offering promotions on OCOP products and regional specialties and tripling reward points for member customers. Featured items included Tây Ninh rice crackers, Dong Thap lotus leaf tea, Can Gio sun-dried gourami, bird’s nest with rock sugar, black garlic juice, and other regional favorites such as selected rice varieties and artichoke tea.

Saigon Co.op also applied incentives for VietGAP-certified products and green “responsibility” labels, including discounts of up to 25% on items such as catfish, tilapia, river fish, carrots, and gourds. On Co.op Online, from April 9 to 14, customers with bills of at least 500,000 VND received 30,000 VND off using code HTX30, while bills of 600,000 VND or more received 40,000 VND off using code HTX40.

At Winmart, leafy greens under the WinEco brand were discounted for members, while other promoted products—including shampoo, detergent, cooking oil, fish sauce, and meat—were offered with 5–20% discounts, including some buy-one-get-one or buy-one-get-two deals.

Lotte Mart ran the “Very Cheap, Truly Quality” promotion, cutting up to 40% on its private-label Choice L products and offering weekend “shock” prices for members on orders from 500,000 VND.

Across multiple categories, essential items such as laundry detergent, hand soap, cooking oil, toothpaste, and fabric softener saw price cuts of 30–50%.

Discount coverage across major chains

At Bach Hoa Xanh, essentials including produce, meat, fish, seasonings, and cosmetics were discounted by 5–25%, while some fashion items and processed foods were marked down by 30–40%.

MM Mega Market Vietnam launched a major promotion campaign from April 9 to 22, focusing on Thai goods and fresh products. More than 2,000 items were discounted up to 50%, with highlights including pork and fresh shrimp.

Stable egg prices and targeted meat discounts

Egg prices from Vinh Thanh Dat Company in Ho Chi Minh City remained stable. Chicken eggs were priced at 33,000 VND per tray of 10 and 19,800 VND per tray of 6, while duck eggs were priced at 37,000 VND per tray of 10 and 22,500 VND per tray of 6.

Many fresh and processed meat products from Vissan were also offered at favorable prices, including discounts of around 10–20% on items such as pork leg, pork thigh, and bones.

Gas relief supports price stability, but diesel costs remain a risk

Ms. Ly Kim Chi, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Food and Beverage Association, said the recent easing of gasoline prices has created momentum for enterprises to keep prices stable. However, some firms are under pressure from sharply rising diesel costs, which affect transportation.

Producers may need to adjust selling prices to balance costs, though Ms. Ly said the increases remain within acceptable ranges. Supermarkets and retailers continue to prioritize sourcing products with the most stable prices.

Looking ahead, Ms. Ly said state support is needed to stabilize gasoline and diesel prices, along with tax and fee policies and favorable loan programs. She said such measures would help businesses maintain confidence in keeping prices stable.

Policy and supply-chain steps to support consumers

To help people and businesses, Ho Chi Minh City began pilot operations of a pork trading floor to shorten the supply chain from farms to near-end retailers. The initiative aims to deliver consumer benefits through better logistics and price discipline, with traceability guarantees and cost reductions across chain links.

Mr. Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, said two retail groups—MM Mega Market and Bach Hoa Xanh—have registered to trade. The department continues encouraging broader participation, expecting the pork trading floor to operate effectively and benefit both the market and consumers.

In Hanoi, the city plans a pilot for a controlled night economy in Hoan Kiem and Tay Ho districts, including extended operating hours and diversified service products. The digitization model for markets will also be implemented, with at least 1,000 stallholders in Dong Xuan, Long Bien, and Ha Dong Markets adopting QR code payments and joining a digital platform.