Vu Lan Festival Market 2025:

Vu Lan Festival - the season of filial piety, has become one of the important holidays, not only having deep spiritual meaning in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people but also strongly affecting the market of goods serving the worshiping needs.

People buy offerings for Vu Lan ceremony. Photo: Quoc Luy

Since the beginning of the seventh lunar month, on many streets, traditional markets, supermarkets and convenience stores in Hanoi , the number of people shopping for Vu Lan offerings has increased sharply. Ms. Dang Huyen Trang, residing on Nguyen Tuan Street, Thanh Xuan Ward, shared: "This year, the goods are diverse, beautiful, the prices are the same as usual, so it is easy to choose and buy. Fresh flowers are a bit more expensive, but the quantity I buy is not much, so the increase is not significant." According to Ms. Ha Thi Phuong, owner of a flower shop at Nhan Chinh Market, Thanh Xuan Ward, the price of fresh flowers this time has increased by 10-15% compared to normal days, plus the recent heavy rains have caused flooding, affecting the quality and quantity of flowers.

Meanwhile, supermarkets and modern retail systems have launched many convenient "Vu Lan combo" packages with prices ranging from 300,000-800,000 VND/set, meeting the diverse needs of consumers.

A highlight of this year's Vu Lan festival is the increased demand for vegetarian food and environmentally friendly products. Vegetarian food stores and organic supermarkets have recorded a 30-40% increase in consumption compared to the same period last year. Ms. Vu Quynh Mai, owner of a vegetarian food store on Tran Thai Tong Street, Cau Giay Ward, said: "Compared to a few years ago, customers now not only care about price but also pay special attention to the origin and quality of the products."

Not only bustling at markets, supermarkets or traditional stores, the market for offerings for Vu Lan festival this year is also bustling on e-commerce platforms. Many families, especially young people and office workers, choose to order offerings online, even order "full package" offerings for Vu Lan festival through Shopee, Lazada, Tiki... with flexible prices and home delivery. Retail market expert Nguyen Thi Thanh commented: "New consumer habits show people's quick adaptation to technology. However, consumers need to be alert in choosing reputable suppliers to avoid buying poor quality products of unknown origin."

In the past, buying votive paper during the Vu Lan festival was a popular trend. However, in recent years, along with recommendations from the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and state management agencies, people have gradually limited the burning of votive paper, instead focusing on incense, flowers, and simple but sincere offerings.

Ms. Vu Thi Mai, a trader on Hang Ma Street, Hoan Kiem Ward, shared: “Demand for votive paper has decreased, but customers are focusing on choosing beautiful, sophisticated products with high aesthetic value. This is also a positive signal, showing a change in consumer habits, towards being more civilized, economical and sustainable.”

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/thi-truong-mua-le-vu-lan-2025-soi-dong-da-dang-nhung-van-giu-net-truyen-thong-715255.html