Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - In the face of rising domestic gasoline prices, manyretail businesses have been making efforts to control the price of goods toensure supply and stabilise the market.

A representative of WinCommerce, which manages and operates the WinMart/WinMartsupermarket chain, said that the consumption market was tending to enter a newprice level when many suppliers and traders adjusted prices due to theimpact of rising gasoline prices.

"We have also received offers to adjust prices from many suppliers.However, WinCommerce actively negotiates with partners to delay the priceincrease, especially for the group of necessities,"the representative said.

Atthe same time, WinCommerce is also implementing many solutions to stabiliseprices and stimulate consumer demand such as applying promotions anddiscounting hundreds of items to share difficulties with consumers.

Arepresentative of LOTTE Mart also said that the continuous increase in petrolprices has put a lot of pressure on suppliers, especially fresh food suppliers.And it was difficult to predict how the price would change in the near term.

However,in order to support consumers during this time, LOTTE Mart continuouslynegotiates daily with partners to propose the best price for customers, ensuringadequate and abundant goods. In parallel, there are a series of promotions foressential products, and fresh food.

The LOTTE Mart representative added that the market had seen an increase in theprices of some items such as rice and cooking oil, but up to this point,the supermarket system was still trying to extend the time to raise the price,and the old price was still applied, at the same time, ensuring a stable supplyof goods to serve consumers.

TranLam Hong, deputy general director of the Saigon Union of Trade Cooperatives(Saigon Co.op), said since before Tet (LunarNew Year) – at the end of January – some suppliers of consumer products and foodstuffs have beenseeking an increase in prices, but Saigon Co.op’s supermarket chains negotiatedwith them to keep prices unchanged.

But with petrol prices increasing to their highest ever levels, leading to asharp increase in production and transport costs, manufacturers anddistributors would suffer heavy losses if they do not increase prices,he said.

Theprices of fresh foods, vegetables and fruits at traditional markets in the cityhave tended to rise in recent days due to the increased transport costs.

Theprices of essential items will remain stable until the end of March, the HCMCity Department of Industry and Trade has assured.

Dueto the impact of the prices of packaging, raw materials and petroleum allincreasing simultaneously, production costs have risen, leading to an increasein goods prices, but city leaders have been working with retailers to keepprices stable, Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the HCM City Departmentof Industry and Trade said./.