HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The gift market for Vietnamese Women’s Day,October 20, this year is offering customers a wide range of products andservices.

Le Trong Van of HCM City, who was choosing gifts for his mother and wife at asupermarket in District 3, said: “In the past I would give my wife some moneyto buy gifts for my mother and herself. But this year I want to make adifference.

“I think my mother and wife will be surprised with my gifts.”

He said he would buy a skincare product for his mother and cloth formaking ao dai (Vietnamese long dress) for his teacher wife.

Van is not the only man buying gifts for the women in their lives on theoccasion.

And to take advantage of this, supermarkets and malls in HCM City are offeringa wide range of gifts and services to satisfy all kinds of demands, and havelaunched promotions to attract customers.

Big C supermarket chain is offering discounts of up to 50 percent on more than1,000 items from 200 famous brands and freebies under its Ton vinh ve depViet (honouring Vietnamese beauty) programme until March 20.

The programme focuses on skincare, make-up, body care, hair care and fashionproducts.

Big C has also launched dozens of varieties of gift boxes with nice designs andreasonable prices.

It is offering a 50 percent discount on the second item purchased of certaincosmetics.

Korean supermarket chain Lotte Mart is organising the Beauty Expo 2 at all itsstores nation-wide until October 20, promising customers an enjoyable shoppingexperience and a chance to meet their idols.

It features several activities with the participation of prestigious brandslike Unilever, P&G, L’Oreal, Kao, Unicharm, ROHTO, and Francia.

In addition, thousands of items are being sold at discounts, customers canenjoy free beauty treatments and various amusement activities, get the chanceto win diamonds from a lucky draw programme and participate in competitions towin prizes.

Co.opmart supermarket is offering 25-50 percent discounts on women’s fashionproducts.

Cosmetics, gift boxes, kitchen utensils, food and other products are also beingsold at big discounts.

Jewellery companies have introduced new collections and launched promotions.

PNJ has launched many new jewellery collections together with promotions and alucky draw with total prizes worth over 1 billion VND. The programme will rununtil October 22.

Its PNJ Silver has introduced a new collection, and until October 22, customerswith bills worth 700,000 VND and above will get a two-in-one canvas bag as agift.

Many other supermarkets as well as cosmetics and fashion shops and spas arerunning a slew of promotions.

Besides cosmetics, jewellery and clothes, flowers are also popular as gifts.

Shops at the Ho Thi Ky Flower Market have increased supply to meet the higherdemand. They have also hired more staff to pack and deliver flowers.

Dalat Hasfarm said its supply of cut flowers to the market has not increasedmuch compared to last year, but the supply of long-lasting potted flowers withhigh duration is 20 per cent higher, mainly of rose, kalanchoe and begonia.

At Thi Nghe Market on October 17, a bunch of 10 roses cost 80,000 VND comparedto 50,000-60,000 VND a few days earlier.

Phuong, a flower shop owner at the market, told Vietnam News that the pricesare expected to increase further on the holiday.-VNS/VNA