To make the Tet holiday business season more effective.

The Lunar New Year season is considered a "golden time" that determines sales for many retail businesses. However, according to experts, to take advantage of this business season, in addition to preparing inventory, retailers need a business strategy that suits the gradually changing consumer behavior of Vietnamese people, which is to simplify forms and prioritize convenience.

Ensuring a stable supply of goods.

As early as mid-2025, the Ho Chi Minh City Commercial Cooperative Union ( Saigon Co.op ) had already planned to prepare goods for the Lunar New Year. Accordingly, Saigon Co.op participated in the market stabilization program for essential food items during the Tet holiday, focusing on key product groups such as rice, sugar, cooking oil, pork, poultry, eggs, processed foods, vegetables, fruits, and seafood. Saigon Co.op stockpiled an additional 35-40% in strategic product groups, increasing the proportion of high-quality Vietnamese goods, diversifying price segments, and flexibly combining its 800 retail outlets with online sales.

This year's Tet (Lunar New Year) theme for Saigon Co.op spans 59 days, from December 20, 2025 to February 16, 2026 (the 29th day of the Lunar New Year), under the theme "Come to Co.op and bring Tet home." A representative from Saigon Co.op stated that the company is focusing its Tet business on three key elements: quality, sufficient supply, and price stability. Saigon Co.op continues its strategy of supporting Vietnamese products, ensuring that 90% of Tet goods are domestically produced, concentrating on OCOP, VietGAP, and safe agricultural products, thereby enhancing quality and diversifying choices for consumers during Tet. Simultaneously, the company is pioneering quality control through its "Green Responsibility" program for Tet goods; increasing the frequency of quality checks by 2-3 times compared to normal days, guaranteeing food safety and hygiene during the peak shopping season.

Customers shopping for Tet (Lunar New Year) at Co.opmart supermarket in Can Tho .

The Tet (Lunar New Year) product display area at LOTTE Mart Can Tho has opened. Product categories such as dry food, beverages, essential groceries, and Tet gift baskets are arranged scientifically , categorized by price segment, to meet the diverse needs of consumers. This year, the store has invested carefully in product designs, focusing on convenience, food safety, and clear origin. In addition, LOTTE Mart is working closely with distributors to ensure a stable supply of Tet goods, stabilize prices, and implement promotional programs.

MM Mega Market is participating in the price stabilization program with two key policies: refusing to allow suppliers to increase prices from December 15, 2025, until the Lunar New Year, and "locking prices" on 1,000 essential items to stabilize the market. For items significantly cheaper than market prices, the supermarket will implement measures to prevent hoarding by limiting the quantity customers can purchase. According to MM Mega Market, significant price reductions will be implemented in the two days leading up to Tet to support those in need during the holiday, clearing out excess inventory, especially fresh produce, to make way for new stock after Tet.

According to Central Retail Vietnam (the parent company of GO! and Big C supermarket chains), the plan for the 2026 Tet holiday is to increase the quantity of fresh food by 15%, while coordinating with suppliers to deliver throughout the holiday. Key items will remain beer, soft drinks, cold cuts, fruits, confectionery, decorations, and Tet gift baskets. In particular, Central Retail is implementing a deep stimulus package: locking prices on over 10,000 fast-moving consumer goods for six weeks before Tet; offering buy-one-get-one-free and buy-two-get-one-free promotions; discounts of up to 50% on many fast-moving consumer goods; and giving away free gifts.

In support of consumers, GO! supermarket chain is running a promotional program called "Connecting Every Tet Style - Unbeatable Prices," which runs until January 14, 2026. The program offers discounts on food items, household goods, and Tet gifts. Notably, the "Clean Up for Tet" program offers discounts of up to 43% along with many attractive gifts; applicable to a wide range of cleaning products from brands like Sunlight, Vim, and Lix, as well as essential household items such as transparent gloves and mop sets. In addition, GO! is introducing its Tet fashion collection "Perfect Style for Spring," featuring modern, trendy designs with prices starting from just 299,000 VND (for a traditional Vietnamese dress).

A good business strategy is needed.

At the seminar "Exploring New Consumer Needs for the Tet Holiday Season & Effective Sales Strategies," organized by the Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Goods Businesses in collaboration with the Center for Business Research and Support in Ho Chi Minh City recently, Ms. Nguyen Phuong Nga, Director of Business Development at Numerator Vietnam, stated that, in the context of a volatile economy, Vietnamese consumer behavior is undergoing significant shifts as the 2026 Tet shopping season approaches. Accordingly, "convenience" has become a key factor. Ready-made products, processed foods, and frozen foods are increasingly popular. Online shopping channels and mini-supermarkets are becoming the preferred choices for consumers.

"Hunting for deals" and monitoring price fluctuations in shopping carts has become a habit, forcing the retail market to compete in promotions and optimize the shopping experience. However, Tet (Lunar New Year) is always a peak consumption period of the year, with the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector contributing about 20% of revenue, or even higher for sectors like confectionery and beer.

Mr. Tran Minh Van, Director of Supermarket Channel Sales at FrieslandCampina Vietnam, believes that the biggest bottleneck for many businesses today is that despite investing heavily in displays and promotions, they still fail to create enough incentive for consumers to make immediate purchases, especially in the context of rapidly changing shopping behavior under the impact of e-commerce and livestreaming sales.

According to Mr. Tran Minh Van, one of the prominent trends during the Tet holiday season is the strong shift towards modern supermarket channels, accounting for approximately 48% of purchases, while traditional channels account for 35% and e-commerce has risen to 17%. Notably, spending during Tet can increase by 1.5 to double compared to a normal month, creating an opportunity that businesses cannot afford to miss. However, deep discounts are no longer the only key to winning the market, because what consumers are looking for now is the feeling of "getting a bargain," not just the percentage discount.

Mr. Tran Minh Van also pointed out three key bottlenecks at the point of sale that businesses often overlook. First, goods must be available on the shelves at the right time when consumers make purchasing decisions. Second, the value gap when promotions fail to create a sufficient sense of benefit. Finally, the ability to display and attract attention is crucial; don't let customers "see but not take."

Text and photos: KHANH NAM

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/de-mua-kinh-doanh-tet-hieu-qua-a196463.html