The HCM City Department of Industry and Trade recently announced plans for its annual market stabilisation programme to ensure adequate supply of essential goods for a month each before and after the festival. Demand for items such as drinks and confectionery is expected to spike by 20 per cent during Tet, while wholesale markets may need to stock 80 per cent more flowers than normal to meet demand. According to the department, large retailers are set to stock goods two or three times as in normal months though most are reluctant to announce their exact business plans for Tet. Many businesses feared that due to negative factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and flood in central Vietnam, demand during next year's Tet might be lower than normal./.