Hanoi supermarkets limit customer numbers

Many supermarkets in Hanoi are starting to impose social distancing, limiting the number of customers and the volume of foodstuffs they buy.

BigC Thang Long Supermarket stipulated that each customer is allowed to buy a maximum three-egg blisters a day, while the respective rate at MM Mega Market is five egg blisters.

Aeon Mall Ha Dong announced each shopper could buy 30 chicken eggs each time. Its egg price currently stands at VND3,000 ($0.13) per egg, up VND300-400 against a week earlier.

In supermarkets across Hanoi, most essential groceries like fresh vegetables and fruits are abundant. Only poultry eggs are insufficient from time to time, so many supermarkets have limited the number of eggs customers may buy.

A shopper named Le in Cau Giay District said: “After going to the third supermarket, I managed to buy two egg blisters. It is very hard to buy eggs this time,” he said.

Go!Market Supermarket in Thanh Xuan District announced it had limited the number of people entering its premises at once. Shoppers are required to make health declarations online or via QR code scans, have temperature checks, sanitize their hands, receive coupons, and queue for entry. Every 10 minutes, supermarket staff would guide a group of customers to enter it.

Supermarkets in Hanoi were taking stricter measures to prevent and combat Covid-19, after some wholesales markets and supermarkets in the capital were closed down due to pandemic impacts.

Since Hanoi imposed social distancing to fight Covid-19, Thanh, a resident of Tan Trieu Commune, Thanh Tri District, Hanoi has visited the local market or a nearby supermarket once a week. Earlier, she went shopping every other day.

On Sunday, her residential area gave each household a coupon for shopping at the local market or nearby supermarkets thrice a week at fixed time frames of 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. till 9 p.m.

Many other districts of Hanoi have distributed coupons to families so they could buy essential goods at markets, supermarkets and convenience stores on odd or even days at fixed time frames.

Hanoi has recorded 1,457 Covid-19 cases in the ongoing wave. The city is on its 10th day of a 15-day strict social distancing campaign.