In recent weeks, specialized Mid-Autumn lantern vendors have attracted many visitors. On Hang Ma street, Hoan Kiem ward (Hanoi), thousands of people gather to stroll, shop, and take photos.

A similar atmosphere prevails in TP HCM, particularly on Luong Nhu Hoc street (Cho Lon ward) and in the traditional lantern village of Phu Binh (Hoa Binh ward). Despite the crowds, some small traders report reduced purchasing power.

On Luong Nhu Hoc, lanterns typically cost from 15,000 to 150,000 dong each. Hien, a small trader with over one decade of experience, noted that while visitors have been numerous since early September, sales do not match Mid-Autumn 2025.

"Compared to before Covid-19, purchasing power has fallen by over 50%, forcing traders to update designs and prioritize selling budget-friendly products," she stated.

This trend is also evident in the online market. According to data from Metric, a data aggregation and analytics platform, lantern sales accelerate as the 8th lunar month's full moon approaches. Shopee and TikTok Shop saw sales surge from early September, peaking at 2 billion dong and 1,2 billion dong respectively in the week leading up to Mid-Autumn.

However, for the period of 20/8-18/9, corresponding to the 8th day of the 7th lunar month to the 8th day of the 8th lunar month, overall lantern sales on Shopee, TikTok Shop, Lazada, and Tiki still decreased by 6,72% compared to the same lunar period in 2025. During this time, 1,300 stalls sold 231,300 lanterns.

Quynh Nhu, who supplies lanterns wholesale and retail in TP HCM via social media, confirmed that this seasonal product "sells, but slower than last year". Besides retail, she also provides wholesale lanterns for decorating stores, schools, and cafes.

Vendors attribute the market slowdown to consumer trends of saving money and favoring affordable mini designs. On Luong Nhu Hoc street, a trader named Ha reported that lanterns priced from 45,000 to 60,000 dong each account for most sales. On Hang Ma, small fish and star lanterns, priced from 30,000 to 70,000 dong, are popular.

Online, many mini lanterns start from just 8,000 dong, attracting significant purchases. Metric's statistics show that the 30,000-50,000 dong segment generates the highest sales, followed by the 50,000-75,000 dong range.

Minh Thu (Hanh Thong ward, TP HCM) bought a 15,000 dong lantern for her child to use at a school Mid-Autumn event. She mentioned that parents in her child's class agreed to choose mini lanterns for the children.

"Children lack the patience to carry large, heavy lanterns while playing. Therefore, buying small ones is both practical and economical. After the full moon, they can decorate study desks, saving space at home," she said.

Lanterns for sale on Hang Ma street, Hoan Kiem ward (Hanoi). Photo: Giang Huy

A bright spot in the Mid-Autumn 2026 lantern market is the growing demand for traditional Vietnamese cellophane lanterns. Many parents choose them for their children, and they are also sold in large quantities for decoration in retail chains and restaurants.

Thu noted that while Chinese lanterns adorned with paper flowers are very affordable, parents in her child's class opted for traditional cellophane lanterns shaped like stars, chickens, rabbits, and boats. They believe these designs are "suitable and help children understand cultural values better".

Quynh Nhu, the online lantern vendor, also confirmed the enduring appeal of traditional designs. This resilience persists despite continuous updates of "trendy" foreign models, from the "bamboo basket rabbit" line in 2025 to the "mini unicorn lantern" and "flower-adorned lantern" currently trending this year.

Metric's data shows that traditional lanterns, including star, carp, and various cellophane types, generated about 2,2 billion dong in sales in the month before the full moon. This involved 42,900 products sold from 272 stalls. This segment accounts for about 20% of the online lantern market share.

Dy Tung