HCMC – The HCMC Department of Industry and Trade has proposed the municipal government allow supermarkets and convenience stores to stay open until 9.00 p.m. daily instead of 6.00 p.m. to ensure the delivery of sufficient goods and food to the city’s residents.
The proposal was made after HCMC had applied the so-called “assisted shopping” measure for two weeks as the city has banned local residents from stepping out, even to buy necessities.
Besides, the municipal department also proposed allowing shippers to work from 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. corresponding to the daily time frame of supermarkets and groceries to deliver goods to residents opportunely.
Statistics from the department indicated that from August 23 to September 6, the number of orders of assisted shopping in the city reached over 1.9 million, a trivial number compared to roughly 2.5 million households in the city.
On September 5, some 96,400 households placed orders for goods and food, up 18% against the previous day, the local media reported.
The number of orders placed via the hotlines of the authorities soared and the demands of residents for assisted shopping remained high, resulting in the proposal, according to the municipal department.
Apart from the assisted shopping measure during this stringent social distancing period, the municipal department has deployed various support programs for residents in the city, including providing welfare combo packs, offering affordable food combos and opening zero-dong supermarkets.
