Vietnam Supermarkets: Foreign Retailer’s Guide 2025

Supermarkets are rapidly proliferating in Vietnam. This is on the back of rising incomes and improved market entry conditions. These supermarkets are one of the easiest ways for foreign producers to get their products in front of Vietnamese consumers with a more Western style of doing business.

What to expect at Vietnam supermarkets

Shopping at supermarkets in Vietnam offers a unique mix of local character and international convenience. While many aspects will be familiar to foreign shoppers, there are also distinct differences in layout, product range, and customer experience. The following section outlines what to expect when visiting or working with supermarkets in Vietnam.

Size

Supermarkets in Vietnam are typically a bit smaller than elsewhere in the world. This is in large part due to a shortage of space in Vietnam’s biggest cities but also due to the limited availability of some products in Vietnam. That said, as Vietnam’s cities add urban sprawl bigger supermarkets have begun to spring up in outer suburbs.

Hours

Supermarkets in Vietnam generally open around 8 am and close around 10 pm. It would be unusual to find a supermarket open 24 hours, though convenience stores tend to keep longer hours.

Food courts

Most of the bigger supermarkets in Vietnam will have a small food court selling a range of local meals and dishes. It’s not unusual for there to be small dining areas as well which are popular among office workers looking for quick, cheap, lunch options.

Products

Live seafood is common in Vietnamese supermarkets. Huge fish tanks are usually found in and around the meat and poultry section. Salmon and pangasius fish are widely consumed in Vietnam. This is in line with Vietnam’s seafood industry being among the biggest in the world.

In the meat section, pork is typically the most popular alongside chicken. Beef is available but often badly butchered with the parts indistinguishable from each other–to find a properly cut T-bone steak in a supermarket in Vietnam would be an anomaly.

There are a broad range of fruits and vegetables available at Vietnamese supermarkets. Many of these are imported–it’s not uncommon to see US, Australian, New Zealand or Korean flag stickers on many of the less tropical fruits. Of note, fruits and vegetables are generally weighed and priced in the produce department rather than at the checkout. 

Dairy is huge in Vietnam. Milk has become an important fixture in Vietnamese diets, particularly among children. Fresh milk, however, is not as common as long-life milk. 

Most supermarkets also carry a range of frozen goods. However, one of the ongoing challenges for supermarkets in Vietnam is cold chain logistics. While major players like AEON, Lotte Mart, and Winmart have made significant investments in refrigeration and temperature-controlled transport, small- to medium-sized chains still face difficulties maintaining consistent cold chain standards. This limits the variety and availability of certain perishable goods, particularly in rural and suburban areas. However, improvements are being made as demand for fresh and imported products grows.

Most Vietnamese supermarkets source a large portion of their inventory from local producers and manufacturers. That said, there is a growing share of imported goods, especially in premium food categories like dairy, confectionery, wine, and health supplements. Supermarkets also tend to prioritise long-term supplier relationships and are generally risk-averse when onboarding new foreign brands without local partners or proven demand.

Customer service

Staff are typically paid pretty close to the minimum wage in Vietnam. With this in mind, a self-serve checkout would be very unusual given the cost of buying and running the necessary technology is far more costly than simply hiring someone to provide the checkout service.

There is also generally a customer service counter that accepts returns and exchanges and separately a bag check. This is sometimes a counter of its own run by a member of staff, although sometimes it is a bank of self-serve lockers–There is generally a security guard at the entrance and exit.

The market is expected to experience a significant increase in the number of enterprises, reaching 52,850 by 2024, with a projected growth rate of 3.13 percent annually. Correspondingly, employment in the sector is anticipated to rise to 5.09 million by 2024, growing at a rate of 3.32 percent per year, according to data from Statista.

Payments

QR codes

Vietnam’s banking industry has developed a QR code system whereby users can scan a QR code and make a direct bank transfer. This can be time-consuming and often causes delays at the checkout. The benefit to consumers and supermarkets is that they save on fees and transfers are instant.

Cash

Cash is still widely accepted in Vietnam and in many cases preferred. There are generally few problems accepting large notes at most supermarkets. This is as opposed to using a VND 500,000 (US$20.30) at a local wet market which can be challenging for local traders to break.

Bank cards

Card payments are not as popular in Vietnam as they are elsewhere in the world. The aforementioned QR code system may be part of the reason why but also credit cards have never really gained traction with Vietnamese preferring to spend only what they have. Note that a large part of the Vietnamese population is still unbanked and in the countryside, there is not a lot to buy that warrants a credit facility anyway.

Supermarket popularity has risen particularly among Vietnam’s growing middle class, Gen Z and Millennial consumers, and urban professionals. These groups tend to prefer air-conditioned, organised shopping environments with clear pricing and imported product options. As a result, supermarkets are increasingly tailoring store formats and product ranges to attract younger, more affluent customers.

Vietnam supermarkets in numbers

Vietnam has a number of local and international supermarket chains operating throughout the country. In recent years, foreign players in particular have expanded widely, particularly South Korea’s Lotte Mart and Thailand’s Big C and Go! brands.

Supermarkets in Vietnam in numbers, 2024

Source: Vietnam retail store trends (Modern Commerce) in 2024

Notes for new market entrants

Entering Vietnam’s supermarket industry can be highly rewarding but requires careful navigation of the local regulatory and business environment. From legal requirements and licensing procedures to retail-specific considerations like economic needs tests and consumer protection laws, new entrants must be well-informed to ensure a smooth and compliant market entry. The following notes outline key factors that foreign retailers should be aware of before establishing operations in Vietnam.

Vietnam Retailers Association

Vietnam supermarkets are often represented by the Vietnam Retailers Association. This organisation is based out of Hanoi and often advocates to the government on behalf of retailers operating in Vietnam.

Consumer protections

Consumer protections are detailed in the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights. That said, the institutions established to enforce this law are relatively weak. Furthermore, many businesses are unaware of their obligations or simply refuse to adhere to the regulations, the reality being that making a claim can more often than not be more trouble than it’s worth. This law, however, can be enforced on occasion and as such foreign firms should make sure they are familiar and compliant.

Economic Needs Tests (ENT)

Note that, retail outlets may need to complete an economic needs test. This only applies to the second retail establishment, however, this is worth keeping in mind in the planning stages. An ENT basically requires a retail business to prove that it is both needed in the geographical space in which it intends to operate and that it will not negatively impact the local community. A  decision on an ENT is generally made by the local government.

That said, the ENT has been removed for investors in member states of some international agreements. For parties to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, for example, an ENT is no longer required. It is also not required when the retailer intends to lease space in a shopping centre or mall.

See also: Company Formation in Vietnam

Investing in Vietnam’s supermarket industry

Vietnam’s supermarket industry is undergoing rapid transformation, fuelled by rising incomes, shifting consumer habits, and strong demand for modern retail experiences. With no foreign ownership limits and a growing middle class seeking convenience and variety, the sector presents a compelling opportunity for foreign investors. Whether through direct retail expansion or indirect investment in listed retail firms, Vietnam offers multiple pathways to tap into this fast-growing market.

Listed Vietnam supermarkets

One way to buy into Vietnam’s growing demand for supermarkets is to consider buying into stocks listed on one of Vietnam’s stock exchanges. There are no foreign ownership limits on supermarkets in Vietnam, however, opening a trading account can sometimes be challenging and time-consuming.

That said, if an investor can bear out the bureaucracy, there is money to be made in supermarket stocks.

Probably the most well-known listed supermarket purveyor is Masan Group. Masan was primarily in food processing and distribution, however, the firm bought up a chain of supermarkets and convenience stores under the Vinmart brand from Vietnam’s Vingroup in 2019. These have subsequently been rebranded to Winmart.

An extension of the Winmart convenience store chain, Winmart supermarkets provide basically the same thing as their smaller counterparts but are much bigger. They are known by their red and white branding and are often located in Vinhomes properties, a legacy from their days as part of Vingroup.

See also: Shopping in Vietnam

Getting on supermarket shelves in Vietnam

Foreign brands seeking shelf space in Vietnam’s supermarkets should also familiarise themselves with Vietnam’s import procedures, particularly food labelling laws and product registration rules under Decree 15/2018/ND-CP. Local distributors or import partners are often critical to a smooth market entry.

See also: How to Import Food into Vietnam

Box 3: Masan sees strong revenue growth in 2024

What’s next?

Vietnam supermarkets are becoming increasingly popular with local consumers. Their wide range of products, particularly imported goods, have proven very attractive to Vietnam’s growing middle class, and as such they are popping up all over the country.

With no foreign ownership limits, foreign supermarket chains have also made a lot of headway in the market, though there is definitely room for more. In this respect, foreign retailers willing to take the time to study the market and make a thoughtful market entry may find that it is a very lucrative move. Notably, the best way to do this is to keep up with the latest developments in the supermarket industry in Vietnam by subscribing to the-shiv.

First published April 18, 2024. Last updated April 2, 2025.