Hanoi Vendors Put Up Phone Numbers At Market Entrances, Saving Visitors Physical Shopping Trips

Hanoi vendors deliver products to the market gates

For the past few weeks, Hanoi has been put on citywide social distancing as the daily infections soar. As the leaders of the capital city continue to devise solutions to respond to the pandemic, residents are all looking for safe and lawful ways to source necessities.

To save grocery shoppers a physical trip into the market and thin the crowds, the vendors of Hàng Bè Market came up with a smart precautionary initiative.

They put up signs featuring their names, contact numbers, and their products on the barricades around the market entrances. Interested shoppers can just telephone these vendors and have their ordered products delivered to the market gates.

Hanoi vendors’ hand-made signs form a giant menu at the market entrances

Image adapted from: Tuổi Trẻ

Upon arriving at Hàng Bè Market, what jumps out at visitors is a long line of barricades plastered with paper signs.

On these are the names and phone numbers of the vendors inside this market, as well as what they sell.

Image adapted from: Tuổi Trẻ

From Ms Thoa Béo selling fruits to Ms Huyền making signature braised catfish, these signs form a giant menu for visitors to browse through without having to go inside.

This is also the purpose of the vendors, which is to reduce the crowds inside the market and minimize physical contact between people.

Image adapted from: Tuổi Trẻ

All that grocery shoppers have to do is to take a look at the menu, decide on the items that they want, and phone the vendors who sell the products.

Within 15-20 minutes, the vendors will deliver the ordered products to the market entrances for the buyers.

Image adapted from: Tuổi Trẻ

Hanoi residents use grocery stamps to shop for groceries

Image credit: Lao Động

Ever since 27th July, Hanoi markets and grocery stores have been allowing entry to shoppers based on their grocery stamps.

Each household is given 1 grocery stamp, which dictates the two days of the week and the hours during which they can shop. The point of this policy is to reduce the shopping crowds at wet markets and grocery shops to curtail the risk of Covid-19 exposure.

Image adapted from: Tuổi Trẻ

All residents who visit wet markets or grocery stores must present their stamps to prove their eligibility to shop. Before checking in, they must also have their body temperatures measured and make health declarations.

Residents from other wards can’t shop at each local wet market, according to the grocery shopping policy here.

Meal planning is essential for safe grocery shopping

As the string of Covid-19 infections continues and strict measures are in place, the most pressing question for many of us is whether it’s safe to grocery shop these days and how much we should purchase.

Of course, we need to go out to get groceries if delivery options are limited. In case you have to go out, plan your meals in advance and come up with a list of items that you want to purchase. Planning will save you tons of time, energy, as well as grocery bills.

Depending on the rules of the areas that you live in, you can also contact vendors inside the wet markets that you’re shopping at to see if they’re willing to deliver their goods to you. Remember to mask up at all times and practice social distancing.

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Cover image adapted from: Tuổi Trẻ

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