HANOI: With roughly two weeks to go before the 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival, the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (or Sept 25 this year), the toy market is already accelerating.
Stores, supermarkets, shopping malls and commercial streets are displaying a broad range of lanterns and toys across colours, designs and price segments to meet consumer demand.
Streets renowned for toy shops in Hanoi such as Hang Ma, Luong Van Can and Trung Tu streets, along with supermarkets and convenience stores, are already in full festive swing, with toys, decorations and mooncakes appearing on shelves.
Notably, Hang Ma street is lined with red, yellow and green star-shaped lanterns, lion dance heads, masks and other toys, creating the Hanoi's Old Quarter’s distinctive Mid-Autumn atmosphere. Beyond a shopping destination, it is also a cultural draw, pulling residents and visitors to explore, take photos and experience the festival.
The online lantern market offers a wide variety of products, from traditional paper and cellophane lanterns to animal-shaped lanterns, LED lanterns and designs featuring lions, rabbits and other characters.
DIY kits for making lotus, jade rabbit, fish, jellyfish and lion-head lanterns are available at prices ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of đong, depending on type. The kits come with flashing lights, handles and decorative accessories.
Many traditional products such as cellophane lanterns, lion dance heads and drums, have also been redesigned with smaller sizes and different colours, fitted with LED lights or packaged into compact sets to facilitate online delivery.
Price competition on e-commerce platforms is especially sharp. Many products are advertised at discounts of 20-40 per cent, alongside discount codes, bulk-purchase promotions and shipping support.
Online shopping is serving not only individual consumers but also schools, classes, agencies, businesses and event organisers, which are placing bulk orders in packages of 10, 50 or 100 items, or larger quantities, for decorations and group activities.
As sales channels multiply, product quality and safety have become top consumer concerns. Parents are favouring products with clear origins and full labelling, especially manufacturers, importers and usage instructions, to cut the risk of buying substandard toys for children.
The run-up to the festival also heightens the risk of counterfeit, smuggled and untraceable goods hitting the market, especially children’s toys, confectionery and other products. Unregulated goods can move through multiple channels, including online platforms, complicating inspection and enforcement.
During peak inspections before and through the festival, authorities are focusing on high-consumption items such as mooncakes, alcoholic beverages, beer, soft drinks, confectionery and other essential consumer goods.
Particular attention is also being paid to detecting and preventing distribution of violent toys and products made from materials that could pose health risks to children. — Vietnam News/ANN
