The initiative is expected to unlock new opportunities for traditional vendors, helping them improve business capabilities, align with the national digitalisation trend and contribute to the robust growth of e-commerce in Vietnam.

Indonesia’s Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Teten Masduki has asked food retailers to join online business given that the country is expected to become the largest digital economy in Southeast Asia, reaching 4,500 trillion Rp (302 billion USD) in value by 2030.

The Thai Ministry of Commerce has announced that it had ordered all provinces to find vendors participating in the 50:50 co-pay campaign who raised their prices in an effort to receive a larger subsidy.

The first two areas designated for street food began services on August 28 on the sidewalks of Nguyen Van Chiem street and Bach Tung Diep park in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1.

It has been eight years since Ly Van Hap, a retired official, made use of his ancestors’ land and opened a wet market for poor vendors on T1 Street in HCM City’s Tan Phu District.

HCM City plans to open special street-food areas in District 1 as part of a pilot programme to move vendors to designated pavements, among other plans to improve the livability of the city.

Efforts to improve the food service quality in Hanoi have spurred positive change, according to a review of a pilot programme implemented two years ago to encourage more hygienic street food options.