Developing plans to balance supply and demand of goods for the Tet holiday

Currently, many supermarkets, shopping centers, and traditional markets across the province are developing and implementing plans to connect with suppliers in preparation for stocking up on goods ahead of the year-end shopping season and the 2026 Lunar New Year.

Shoppers select food products at Co.opmart Bien Hoa (Tam Hiep Ward, Dong Nai Province). Photo: Hai Quan

Ensuring supply-demand balance for essential goods

In early October 2025, the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee issued Plan No. 119/KH-UBND on ensuring the balance of supply and demand for essential goods to serve the 2026 Lunar New Year and to support disaster and epidemic prevention efforts across the province. The plan will be implemented through the end of September 2026.

The plan aims to maintain a stable balance between supply and demand for essential goods, thereby contributing to social welfare, especially during the year-end months, holidays, and Tet, while ensuring sufficient supplies in the event of natural disasters or epidemics to meet residents’ essential needs.

The plan also aims to promote the development of the retail network and diversify the types of sales points to ensure essential goods are distributed to consumers conveniently and promptly. Focus will be placed on expanding sales points at traditional markets, industrial zones, worker housing areas, and remote regions within the province. It also aims to expand product categories and retail locations in conjunction with the “Vietnamese people give priority to using Vietnamese goods” campaign. At the same time, cooperation among provinces and cities will be strengthened in areas such as investment, trade linkage, productivity enhancement, product quality improvement, and market expansion.

For the 2026 Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse), purchasing power is forecast to increase by approximately 5% compared to the previous Tet holiday and by 20-25% compared to regular days, with demand peaking in the days leading up to Tet. The supply of goods will be well ensured in both quantity and quality, as production units have already begun preparing Tet inventories since the last months of the second quarter and the beginning of the third quarter of 2025.

Nguyen Danh Thinh, Director of Phuong Lam Trade and Service Cooperative, the management unit of Phuong Lam Market (Phu Lam Commune, Dong Nai Province), shared that the market management board has encouraged local vendors to proactively prepare and stock goods early for the upcoming Tet holiday. Many traders began working and connecting with Tet goods suppliers as early as October 2025. The supply of goods for the coming 2026 Lunar New Year is expected to fully meet local shopping demand, especially for essential commodities.

Regarding the balance of supply and demand for essential goods during the 2026 Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse), the provincial People’s Committee’s plan covers 13 key commodity groups, including rice, pork, poultry, eggs, seafood, vegetables and fruits, instant packaged foods, canned processed foods, spices, sauces, cooking oil, confectionery, and petroleum products.

Supermarkets and markets proactively connect with suppliers early

As the 2026 Lunar New Year is about a month and a half after the New Year, many supermarkets and traditional markets have proactively developed plans to ensure a balanced and adequate supply of goods for the year-end and Tet shopping peak, meeting consumer demand.

Ho Duc Tan, representative of the management board of Dau Giay Agricultural and Food Wholesale Market (Dau Giay Commune, Dong Nai Province), said traders at the market have already prepared plans to stock and supply goods for the 2025 year-end and 2026 Tet shopping season. The stocking and preparation of vegetables and fruits for Tet have been carefully calculated to match actual demand, ensuring high-quality produce with abundant supplies sourced from Dong Nai, Lam Dong, and provinces in the southwestern region. Currently, the total amount of goods entering the market is approximately 230-280 tons/day and night, and is expected to increase during the peak period before Tet, depending on purchasing power and actual demand. 

Do Doan Thanh, Head of Marketing at Co.opmart Dong Xoai (Binh Phuoc Ward, Dong Nai Province), said the supermarket has begun developing plans and strategies to prepare its supply of goods for the 2026 Lunar New Year. Essential items such as rice, pork, poultry, eggs, seafood, vegetables, instant packaged foods, canned processed foods, spices, sauces, cooking oil, confectionery, and bottled beverages are expected to see stockpiles increase by 30-50% for the holiday season, with distribution adjusted to match peak consumer demand during Tet.

Similarly, Nguyen Ky Hiep, Director of MM Mega Market Bien Hoa (Tran Bien Ward, Dong Nai Province), shared that the supermarket has prepared its annual supply plans and started working with suppliers early to secure stable inventories. The supermarket is also developing promotional and price-stabilization programs, particularly for essential goods in preparation for the 2026 Lunar New Year.

Hai Quan – Translated by Thu Cuc, Minho