As urban populations rise, so does the price of urban real estate. As a result, big spaces—even when they are well used—are eyed by real estate developers. This, tragically, can result in the destruction of much-loved parks. It also leads to policies to replace traditional markets with shopping malls or grocery stores. The process started in Hanoi a few years ago when a major market was bulldozed to make room for a high-end shopping mall. Several other markets were slated for similar destruction/development. HealthBridge Vietnam joined with other organizations and individuals in highlighting the importance of traditional markets as popular, inexpensive places to buy fresh fruits and vegetables close to home. Supermarkets tend to be fewer in number and thus require people to travel farther, increasing motorized traffic. They promote highly processed foods, leading to unhealthy dietary changes. They do not offer the same opportunities for seller-customer interactions. And they mean that many sellers lose their livelihood. The building of a strong alliance, the use of media, and regular meetings with policymakers all had their effect: the government decided to preserve, protect, and expand rather than destroy traditional markets. Read more about it on issue two of the NCD and poverty newsletter, available on the HealthBridge website.