No food shortage as super typhoon Yagi nears, supermarkets assure

Hiep in the coastal city of Hai Phong, where Yagi is expected to hit in the weekend, could not buy pork at 10 a.m. Friday morning as all the stores he went to had run out.

In Hanoi, customers found the meat section at some supermarkets almost empty as of 2.30 p.m.

The meat section of a supermarket in Hanoi was almost empty as of 2.30 p.m., Sep. 6, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Minh

WinMart Thang Long supermarket in Cau Giay District reported a threefold increase in customers compared to a normal day, deputy CEO of retail chain WinMart Nguyen Tien Dung said.

Co.opmart Hanoi saw a 30% spike in customer numbers on Friday morning, said the supermarket's director, Nguyen Thi Kim Dung. She added that extra staff had been arranged to replenish goods as quickly as possible.

In Hai Phong, Aeon Mall Vietnam reported a 20% surge in demand, according to Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hue, the chain's communications and public relations director.

Shoppers primarily purchased essential items such as vegetables, meat, fish, rice, and instant noodles.

Go supermarket in Hai Phong experienced a 20-40% increase in demand, with large crowds starting to gather from Thursday afternoon. By 8 a.m. on Friday, the supermarket was packed.

All grocery chains, however, assured that they are well-prepared to maintain adequate supply levels.

WinMart, the biggest grocery chain in the country, has ordered 30% more fresh food and stored it in its logistics centers in northern localities.

It has made plans to order from alternative suppliers in case demand spikes further.

Aeon Vietnam has pumped up its inventory by up to three times and has worked with suppliers to keep prices stable.

Go and BigC chains in northern Vietnam have doubled their supply of essential goods.

Staff refill the vegetables section of BigC Thang Long supermarket in Hanoi on Sep. 6, 2024. Photo courtesy of BigC

Co.opmart Hanoi has arranged its staff to handle the increased demand, both in-store and online.

The Domestic Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said Friday afternoon that supermarkets in the country have sufficient supply to meet increasing demand.

Authorities have ramped up inspections and to promptly prevent hoarding, speculation, and profiteering that could destabilize the market, it added.

Super typhoon Yagi is the strongest typhoon on the South China Sea that is set to hit Vietnam in the last 30 years, according to the National Centre for Hydro - Meteorological Forecasting.

The typhoon is expected to pass China’s Hainan Island and enter the Gulf of Tonkin on Friday night.

By 1 a.m. on Saturday, the typhoon will be about 230 km from Quang Ninh, with maximum wind speeds of 166 kph. By Saturday afternoon, the typhoon's center is expected to make landfall in the northern provinces of Quang Ninh and Nam Dinh, with wind speeds ranging from 103-118 kph.

The typhoon will then continue west-northwest at a speed of 15-20 kph, moving deeper into the northern provinces of Lang Son, Bac Giang, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Ha Nam, and Ninh Binh.