"8k Grocery Store" is held every Friday afternoon, from January 3 to January 17, 2025 at a number of F88 transaction offices in 12 major cities and provinces including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Binh Duong, Binh Dinh, Dak Lak, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Ha Tinh, Soc Trang. The transaction offices organizing the program are all located near industrial parks, where many workers and manual laborers are concentrated, who always have to face the worry of making a living every day. The items with a "symbolic" price support of VND 8,000/product include 1 liter Neptune cooking oil, 500ml Nam Ngu fish sauce, 500g Chinsu seasoning powder, combo of 5 packs of Hao Hao noodles, 75gr/pack, and combo of 4 packs of Vinamilk ADM milk, 180ml.
Ms. Bach Thi Th. (40 years old, from Hoa Binh), a worker at Vinh Loc A Industrial Park (Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) stopped by the "8k Grocery Store" in front of the F88 transaction office on Nguyen Thi Tu Street. After scanning the QR code, she decided to buy a 1-liter bottle of Neptune cooking oil for 8,000 VND. Having the item at a "symbolic" price seemed to help her relieve her fatigue after a day of work. She happily shared: "I bought it out of curiosity because I heard that they sell cooking oil, fish sauce, spices... which are things that every household needs. I bought this bottle of cooking oil for 60,000 VND at the supermarket, but here it is only 8,000 VND. I understand that they are trying to share my difficulties and this way of selling also makes me not feel indebted, so I am happy!"
This is just one of F88's community-oriented activities during this year's Tet holiday, through which each customer can receive a subsidized essential item from F88. The model of providing subsidized products and services such as "8k Grocery Store" is not new. Previously, there were units and philanthropists who organized programs such as 2k Rice Shop, 1k Noodle Shop.
F88 representative said that the subsidy programs are aimed at low-income people who do not want to receive help in the form of gifts. If the gift is given in a simple way, they will refuse, leaving it to those in more difficult circumstances. But if the product is subsidized, they will buy it with a comfortable mentality.
Mr. Ha The Tran, Head of F88 Transaction Office on An Suong Overpass (District 12, Ho Chi Minh City), who directly handed each subsidized product to the workers, said: “F88 understands the difficulties of workers and ordinary laborers every Tet holiday, when they spend more than they earn, and have to calculate every penny to take care of Tet for their parents and children. Understanding that, we chose this form of exchange to show respect and share their year-end worries.”
F88 is considered one of the businesses that organize many community-oriented programs. A representative of F88 said that in addition to "8k Grocery Store", the company is also planning other activities to support the Tet season. In 2025, the unit will focus on two community-oriented activities. One is to support people in difficult circumstances living and working near transaction offices through the form of giving and supporting the price of necessities. The other is to support business models, creating start-up opportunities for women in difficult circumstances.
