Retail channels expand in remote areas

The retail market in rural areas, particularly in remote localities, holds significant potential for development as residents’ living standards continue to improve and consumer tastes and shopping habits evolve.

Consumers shop for food at a convenience store in Phu Lam commune, Dong Nai province. Photo: Hai Quan.

Ample room for growth

Traditional markets and small grocery stores remain the primary shopping channels for most rural residents. However, as incomes rise, consumer behavior and the habit of going to traditional markets are gradually changing. Consequently, traditional markets can no longer remain stagnant but must proactively adopt measures to enhance competitiveness and attract shoppers.

According to Phuong Lam Trade and Service Cooperative, which manages Phuong Lam market in Phu Lam commune and Tan Phu market in Tan Phu commune, the average daily volume of goods handled at the two markets is estimated at around 160–180 tons, mainly consisting of vegetables and fruits. Infrastructure at both markets has been continuously upgraded, while the fresh food sections are well maintained, enabling traders to operate in cleaner, more convenient conditions and improving the markets' competitiveness.

Nguyen Danh Thinh, Director of Phuong Lam Trade and Service Cooperative, said the market management board regularly coordinates with relevant authorities to conduct surveys on prices, product quality, and food safety standards, while maintaining price stabilization stalls to improve service quality for residents in the locality. In reality, although traditional markets have faced strong competition from modern retail channels and the growing trend of online shopping, purchasing power and revenues have remained encouraging. For example, during the recent Lunar New Year holiday, sales at Phuong Lam market increased by about 20 percent compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, in remote areas, retail enterprises have increasingly shown interest in investing in retail channels that offer high-quality products at reasonable prices, aligned with the economic conditions and purchasing psychology of rural consumers.

Ngoc Anh, a resident of La Nga commune, said that shopping for daily consumer goods has become increasingly convenient, from traditional markets and grocery stores to convenience store chains and mini supermarkets. This undertaking gives consumers more choices and a better shopping experience, with competitive prices and growing attention to product quality and design.

Diversifying retail channels

According to the Provincial Department of Industry and Trade (DoIT), Dong Nai has witnessed strong growth in convenience store chains under brands such as Bach Hoa Xanh, WinMart, Co.opFood, GS25, FamilyMart, Circle K, Maxidi, and Fresh Shop. The province currently has 374 convenience stores, widely distributed across localities, effectively meeting residents’ shopping needs, including many outlets in rural and remote communes.

These channels increasingly meet rural consumers’ shopping needs while combining traditional and modern retail formats. In addition, improved transportation infrastructure has made it easier to supply goods to remote and mountainous areas.

Nguyen Quoc Anh, retail manager of Fresh Shop in Dong Nai, under C.P. Viet Nam Livestock Joint Stock Company, in Long Hung ward, said the province currently has 15 Fresh Shop outlets across many communes and wards. The chain has been operating stably and focuses on providing consumers with safe products at stable and competitive prices. In the coming time, the system aims to expand its market coverage and bring its services closer to residents across the province.

Alongside convenience store chains, retail points under the “Proud of Vietnamese Goods” program, local specialty outlets, and OCOP (One Commune, One Product) product displays, these channels have helped diversify retail offerings in rural and remote areas. Notably, at the end of December 2025, the DoIT, in coordination with relevant units and localities, opened a retail outlet at the S'tieng Ethnic Culture Preservation Area in Bom Bo hamlet, Bom Bo commune. The outlet showcases and sells specialties typical of mountainous, remote, and border areas in Dong Nai, thereby expanding distribution channels for rural goods.

Hoang Thi Thu Huong, a tour guide at the S’tieng ethnic cultural preservation area in Soc Bom Bo who is in charge of the specialty product stall there, said the outlet helps local people and visitors access local products while also promoting and introducing the area's specialties, such as cashew nuts, cashew fruit wine, honey, and pepper. The sales area is laid out with well-organized, spacious shelves, making it convenient for visitors to shop.

By Hai Quan – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho