Thanks to improved quality, diversified designs and competitive prices, Vietnamese goods have gradually won the trust of domestic consumers, but more attention on green practices, origin traceability, and e-commerce is needed to truly conquer the domestic market.

The purchasing power of Vietnamese goods is on the rise. While more than 90% of the surveyed consumers said they prioritise domestically produced goods when shopping, 75% encourage their families and friends to buy Vietnamese goods, which currently account for over 70% of the items sold at traditional markets, according to the steering committee for the “Vietnamese people prioritise Vietnamese goods” campaign.

In Hanoi alone, made-in-Vietnam products dominate such Vietnamese-owned supermarkets as Co.opmart, Winmart, and Hapro, at a rate of 90 - 95%. This rate stands at 60 - 96% at the supermarkets run by foreign businesses such as AEON and Mega Market.

This indicates a change in consumer awareness. Vietnamese goods are not only prioritised but have now become an indispensable choice of local consumers, said the steering committee.

Vo Phi Hai, Deputy Director of the Co.opmart branch in Nha Trang, said up to 90% of products sold at the branch and the entire Co.opmart system are made-in-Vietnam.

All have clear origin and certificates of high-quality or OCOP (One Commune, One Product) products. Vietnamese suppliers have frequently improved product designs and launched weekly and monthly promotional programmes to attract consumers. Some products are even able to compete with foreign rivals, he added.

Some experts held that in the time ahead, it is necessary to expand and boost the quality of the campaign, which should be turned from “Vietnamese people prioritise Vietnamese goods” into “Vietnamese goods win the hearts of Vietnamese people”.

Measures should be taken to standardise the origin traceability of essential items, form safe food supply chains, and facilitate enterprises’ application of e-commerce to product distribution in order to promote consumers’ access to Vietnamese goods.

To assist businesses in this regard, the Domestic Market Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that the ministry will continue implementing trade promotion activities and boost the use of e-commerce in trading Vietnamese goods in a manner appropriate to the new context.

The move is expected to help raise the stature, quality, and competitiveness of Vietnamese goods amid intensive integration into the regional and global economies so that made-in-Vietnam products can truly win the hearts of local consumers, the department added./.