Street vendors selling petrol contained in bottles along many roads in Hanoi have cashed in on an inventory shortage in recent days, when numerous fuel stations in the Vietnamese capital city have closed or limited sales, citing tight supplies and loss-making operations.

Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper caught sight of about 20 street petrol vendors on just 1.7 kilometers of Nguyen Thai Hoc Street in Ba Dinh District on Thursday morning.

These vendors placed a plastic bottle containing petrol and a sign that reads “Petrol for sale” at the edge of the sidewalk.

“In the past few days, it was quite difficult to buy gasoline, but I did not expect to see sidewalk petrol sales all over many roads like this,” said Nguyen Quang Hop, a commuter.

A plastic bottle of gasoline is placed on the sidewalk of Nguyen Thai Hoc Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, November 3, 2022. Photo: Nguyen Bao / Tuoi Tre

The many roads Hop said include those across Ba Dinh, Dong Da, and Tay Ho Districts.

The street vendors sell a liter of gasoline for VND25,000-30,000 (US$1-1.21) and a bottle of 1.5 liters of gasoline for VND50,000 ($2).

According to a decision issued by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Tuesday, the RON95 gasoline and RON92 currently sell for VND22,750 ($0.91) and VND21,870 per liter at filling stations, respectively.

A street vendor pours a bottle of two liters of gasoline into a man’s motorbike tank for VND60,000 (US$2.41) on a street in Hanoi, November 3, 2022. Photo: Nguyen Bao / Tuoi Tre

As motorbike riders failed to refill their vehicles at several popular fuel stations, they had no choice but to buy gasoline from these street vendors despite knowing that the gasoline’s quality and quantity are questionable.

The street vendors have not only been operating on the sidewalks but also have taken to the entrances of some fuel stations to lure customers.

Among those, a group of sellers offered a half-filled bottle of 1.5 liters of petrol at VND55,000 ($2.21) to motorcyclists, who sought to fill up their tanks at Cong Vi filling station in Ba Dinh District, at 4:00 pm on Thursday.

Two plastic bottles of gasoline are placed on the sidewalk of Nguyen Thai Hoc Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, November 3, 2022. Photo: Nguyen Bao / Tuoi Tre

Another woman also cried “VND50,000 for two liters [of petrol]” in front of a Petrolimex fuel station on Hang Bun Street in Ba Dinh District on the same afternoon, the third consecutive day she has run her business there.

When a customer asked the woman if the bottle genuinely contained two full liters of petrol, she did not answer.

Pregnant Pham Hong Trang was among a few people who purchased gasoline from that woman on Thursday afternoon.

A street vendor prepares plastic bottles of gasoline for sale on the sidewalk of Nghi Tam Street in Tay Ho District, Hanoi, November 3, 2022. Photo: Nguyen Bao / Tuoi Tre

“Due to my pregnancy, I can’t stand waiting for a long time, so I opted to buy gasoline from the vendor just outside this fuel station,” Trang said after traveling for five kilometers without a single petrol station willing to serve her.

“I paid VND50,000 for a bottle that was said to contain two liters of petrol, turning a blind eye to the quality of the substance and the real capacity of the bottle,” she added.

A woman pours gasoline from a large bottle to smaller ones to prepare for sale on the sidewalk of Hang Bun Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, November 3, 2022. Photo: Nguyen Bao / Tuoi Tre

Nearly 110 out of 550 gas stations in Ho Chi Minh City are experiencing inventory shortage, followed by those in Hanoi and other parts of the country.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien last week attributed the situation to fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate and difficulties faced by some fuel importers in accessing bank loans. 

A sign of petrol sale is put up in front of a bicycle repair shop on Nguyen Khuyen Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, November 3, 2022. Photo: Nguyen Bao / Tuoi Tre

Fuel retailers said low profit margins, and even losses, are discouraging them from maintaining their business.

Therefore, numerous fuel stations have shut down or reduced sales.

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