Hanoi (VNA) - An increasing number ofconsumers are buying fresh food online, according to the Hanoi Department ofIndustry and Trade.

The department said that food, especially freshfood, was previously difficult to market online, but it is picking up now.

Most online stores compete with traditionalmarkets by trading organic foods produced in clean processes.

In particular, thanks to the development oftechnology, shop owners can post their product images online directly, enablingboth sellers and buyers to interact more quickly.

Tran Hoai Thu, a Techcombank staff, startedselling food online after buying clean pork at an online store on Facebook.Finding it delicious, she introduced friends to it and ordered for them.

When the number of buyers increased, Thu decidedto build a trading website to provide clean pork.

Selling clean food online can save the cost ofrent and involves less capital, flexible time, and cost, therefore, profits canbe 15 percent to 30 percent higher. In addition, selling food online isconvenient for consumers.

"I have heard of a lot of unsafe food, so Iam afraid to buy fruits and vegetables, which have no origin in the market. Offlate, I have been buying food at supermarkets or online, where the productshave a clear origin," said a customer in Hai Ba Trung district.

Customer Ngan Anh in Hoang Mai district saidthat she often buys food online due to her busy working hours and workplace,which is located far away. Food is shipped to her house or office, andtherefore, it helps save time. 

However, there are still many individuals doingonline business through websites and social networking sites without qualityand origin licences, posing a risk of unsafe food, affecting the health ofconsumers.

According to Hanoi’s Market ManagementDepartment, it found many online food businesses without documents of originsand no assurance of food hygiene and safety.

Therefore, consumers should choose to buy cleanfood at reliable addresses to avoid “spending money and getting worse food.”-VNA