Major supermarkets and commercial complexes across the city will remain open during Spring Festival to ensure an ample supply of daily necessities. Online sales channels and delivery service will also be in place.

Demands for daily necessities during the Feb 11-17 holiday are forecast to exceed last year as workers are encouraged to stay in the city to reduce COVID-19 infection risks. Daily wholesales volume of vegetables will reach 1,000 tons, twice that of 2020, Yang Zhenglin, deputy director of the Zhuhai Bureau of Commerce, said at a Jan 20 press conference.

Yang Zhenglin speaks at press conference [Photo by Chen Jiazhe / Guanhai App]

Merchants at such major agricultural wholesales markets as Minghai and Heping in Qianshan, Xiangzhou District are called upon to continue business and stock up. Stalls will keep normal operations except for a reduction in number on the Chinese New Year (Feb 12). Most farmers markets will be closed that day, with the rest in normal operation. 

Local authorities will supervise wholesale markets, commercial complexes, supermarkets, and farmers markets. Their task is to carry out epidemic prevention and control measures, including stocking enough anti-epidemic supplies, and not to replenish from medium- and high-risk areas. In addition, they will increase tracking of market dynamics and abnormal fluctuations, while bolstering material supplies in case of emergencies.

The Zhuhai Bureau of Commerce has teamed up with Alibaba's local services arm to create an online shopping festival platform on Ele.me App from Jan 20 to Feb 18. This is a third-party online food delivery platform at which residents can purchase discounted snacks, flowers, fruits, and even family reunion dinners.

CR Vanguard, Carrefour, and Rainbow supermarkets, the Hundred Percent Shopping Center, as well as Maoye, Zhuhai, and Rainbow department stores will offer daily necessities and promotions on that platform. Coupons of local business circles will be available on Alibaba's review site Koubei App.

The express arms of China Post, SF, Yunda, and JD will ensure staff are available for deliveries.