After gasoline and oil prices continuously adjusted down in recent times, the general level of commodity prices in Ho Chi Minh City shows signs of cooling down.This development helps input costs of small traders and retail businesses to be "easier to breathe", especially in the context that purchasing power is still recovering slowly.
Recorded at traditional markets such as Ba Chieu market, Tan Dinh market and some supermarkets in the area, prices of many essential goods such as green vegetables, pork, eggs...are trending to stabilize.According to small traders, the previous price increase has temporarily stopped, most goods currently remain unchanged, with little fluctuation.
Ms. Le Thi Be Hai - a small trader at Nguyen Tri Phuong market - shared: "In recent days, the money to get goods has decreased slightly because some types have reduced prices, while many other items remain the same, neither increasing nor decreasing. Hopefully in the future prices will decrease further to make it easier to sell".
From the consumer's perspective, Ms. Nong Thi Anh (Binh Thanh ward) said that commodity prices at the market have gradually stabilized, but some eateries have not adjusted down according to input costs. "Going to the market, I see that vegetable and meat prices no longer increase, some dishes are even cheaper. But many eateries still maintain the price levels that have increased before. If transportation costs continue to decrease, hopefully prices will soon stabilize for a long time" - Ms. Anh said.
At supermarkets such as Co.opmart, Lotte, MM Mega..., goods prices are still maintained at a stable level, and many promotional programs are applied to stimulate consumer demand.
In the context that the price level is gradually stabilizing but purchasing power has not recovered strongly, many businesses and supermarkets are also proactively adjusting their business strategies in the direction of reducing costs and maintaining selling prices to stimulate consumer demand.
Mr. Truong Chi Thien - General Director of Vinh Thanh Dat Food Joint Stock Company - said that the enterprise is reviewing and recalculating all costs to maintain operations. "Even so, we still maintain the selling price as committed to the market, despite facing many high expenses" - Mr. Thien affirmed.
According to Mr. Thien, the immediate solution is to cut unnecessary costs, while maintaining stable input sources to limit pressure on prices. In the context of slow purchasing power after Tet, price increases at this time may make it difficult for businesses to retain customers.
In the group of small production facilities, the trend of price retention is also maintained to stabilize output. Ms. Luu Thi Kim Chau, owner of Co Chau sausage production facility, said that prices in general have fluctuated, but the main raw materials, pork and pork fat, have not increased significantly. Spices, although adjusted to increase, are not large, so the facility still tries to maintain stable selling prices for many years, without adjusting to increase.
Representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade informed that in the context that prices of many items are affected by the world economic and political situation, items in the price stabilization program are maintained stably thanks to the active participation of businesses. This not only helps consumers have more suitable choices, but also contributes to controlling the general price level in the market.
