HCM City canned food sales fall as consumers wary after diseased pork scandal

HCM City canned food sales fall as consumers wary after diseased pork scandal

Sales of canned foods have fallen at supermarkets and convenience stores in HCM City following the recent diseased pork scandal involving the Hạ Long Canned Food JSC.

A shopper carefully checks the information on a canned product at a HCM City supermarket days after a major food safety scandal erupted. — VNA/VNS Photo

Instead, consumers are increasingly choosing fresh foods and ready-to-eat products with clear origins and short shelf lives.

Nguyễn Thanh Kiển of Phú Mỹ Ward (TP.HCM) said she usually stocks up on canned foods for Tết (Lunar New Year), but after the Hạ Long incident involving contaminated meat she prefers buying fresh ingredients to cook at home.

The incident has affected both consumer confidence and the local economy.

One shop owner on Phạm Hữu Lầu Street in HCM City said they now only sell one or two cans a day, and sometimes none at all.

A spokesperson for Emart retail said canned food sales have dropped by about 5 per cent since the scandal.

Although canned items do not have high margins, they are an important part of their sales, especially during festivals like Tết, he said.

The representative warned that if sales continue to fall, it will negatively impact retailers, as overall market demand is already weak.

Nguyễn Minh Hùng, deputy head of the city Department of Industry and Trade’s trade management division, said businesses must ensure food safety and provide transparent information about product origins to maintain consumer trust.

Retailers should only source from suppliers who meet quality standards and take responsibility for their goods, he added.

Amid consumer concerns ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year, supermarket chains and local authorities in HCM City have become cautious.

A spokesperson for MM Mega Market Vietnam said the retailer has recalled all Hạ Long canned products and refunded customers, plus it will continue to work closely with its suppliers.

Lotte Mart Vietnam has also stepped up scrutiny of food safety certificates and organised regular visits to suppliers' factories to monitor quality.

Phạm Khánh Phong Lan, director of the HCM City Food Safety Department, said her agency has strengthened food quality oversight, particularly of processed, pre-packaged and canned products.

A month before Tết, the department is checking warehouses and storage sites.

In the two weeks before the holidays start, it will increase inspections of markets and supermarkets to keep fake and expired foods off shelves.

Nguyễn Quang Huy, deputy head of the trade department’s market surveillance agency, said Tết is the peak period for selling goods of unclear origins and poor quality.

Recent discoveries by authorities, including more than 18 tonnes of frozen foods with no clear origin in Hiệp Bình Ward and 3,200 cartons of imported beers with no clear origins, receipts or labels in Tân Phú Ward, show that the food safety remains a concern, he said.

The year-end is also the peak period for market surveillance, with officials stepping up inspections of goods sold, especially popular Tết items such as beer, alcohol, confectionery, and foods.

Experts say that the Hạ Long incident has made consumers cautious, and they also consider quality and safety rather than just price or convenience. 

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