Retailers brace themselves to maintain prices under cost pressure
Exchanging a 20-liter water bottle at a grocery store in Dien Hong ward, Ms. Dang Thi Hanh was surprised when she was informed that the price had increased by 5,000 VND/bottle. "I asked why the water price also increased, the store owner only said the import price increased, so it was forced to adjust accordingly. The increase is not large but occurs in many items at the same time, causing monthly living expenses to increase significantly" - Ms. Hanh shared.
Not only beverage items, many small traders said that import prices of fast-moving consumer products, processed foods, and even gas and other necessities have tended to increase slightly recently. However, most stores still try to keep prices at a reasonable level, avoiding sudden increases to avoid reducing purchasing power.
Now there are many customers buying goods, we have only reduced prices a little, but import prices are continuously increasing, so it is also difficult to maintain as before" - Ms. Huynh Thu Thao - a grocery store owner in Vuon Lai ward - explained. According to this person, the profit margin is increasingly narrowing, while purchasing power is no longer as vibrant as before, causing business to face no small pressure.
At modern retail systems, many price reduction and stabilization programs are still maintained regularly, contributing to cooling down the general price level. Businesses participating in the city's price stabilization program continue to commit to maintaining prices or only adjusting within the permitted limits for essential goods such as rice, cooking oil, livestock meat, poultry... Thanks to that, the supply of goods in the area is still abundant, and there is no shortage.
According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thang - Deputy General Director of Saigon Co. op, the unit has proactively worked with suppliers to develop long-term plans, and at the same time boldly advanced capital for goods reserves, ensuring stable supply for a period of 3 to 6 months. In addition, the unit strengthens negotiations with logistics partners, accepts risk sharing and reduces part of profits to maintain stable selling prices for the market.
Accepting to reduce profits to maintain prices of essential goods
From the industry perspective, Ms. Ly Kim Chi - Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Food and Foodstuff Association - said that many businesses have proactively developed raw material reserve plans for 3-6 months to stabilize production and limit the impact of market fluctuations.
To share the difficulties with consumers, businesses are forced to accept reducing part of their profits, maintaining stable selling prices for essential goods such as rice, sugar, cooking oil... However, if logistics costs, energy prices and geopolitical factors, especially in the Middle East region, continue to prolong, price increase pressure in the coming time is inevitable" - Ms. Chi assessed.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, in the first quarter of 2026, the city's trade sector recorded a growth rate of more than 8.8% compared to the same period, but still lower than the general level of the service sector. This shows that purchasing power, although improved, has not really broken through, in the context that consumers are still cautious about spending.
Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade - said that price adjustments, if they take place on a large scale, may have a reverse impact on goods consumption activities. "Businesses have calculated and realized that they need to prioritize maintaining prices, and at the same time coordinate with state management agencies to implement demand stimulus programs to promote purchasing power. When purchasing power is improved, the market will have more room for sustainable growth" - Mr. Phuong emphasized.
