Made-in-Vietnam products are increasingly dominating supermarket shelves. (Source: VNA)

According to the Hanoi Trade Corporation, BRGMart supermarket chain has worked with its suppliers to increase the holiday inventory by two or three times compared to normal months. BRGMart is offering discounts of up to 50% on its high-quality Vietnamese products, ranging from rice, beef, chicken, seafood to confectionary and beverage from January 2 to 28.

At Central Retail Group’s Tops Market chain, Vietnamese products account for 90% of the inventory. The supermarket launched the “Vietnamese specialties for Vietnamese Tet” programme, featuring an array of local staples like smoked buffalo meat, dried bamboo shoots, and traditional confectioneries.

Meanwhile, Director of Co.op Mart Ha Dong Nguyen Thi Kim Dung projected a 5% rise in Tet sales compared to last year. The supermarket’s Bring Tet home with Co.op campaign spans 800 retail locations, offering traditional holiday experiences and showcasing OCOP (One Commune One Product) items.

Nguyen Ngoc Thang, Deputy General Director of Saigon Co.op, announced that its system has stockpiled approximately 12,000 tonnes of goods, representing a 30-50% increase across various product categories, adding the products are sold at stable prices as consumers are tighten their belt in a challenging economy.

Domestic products also maintain a strong presence at traditional markets. Local retailer Nguyen Hoang Long, who owns a confectionery shop on Hang Giay street, attributed the success of Vietnamese products to their competitive prices, typically 40-50% lower than imported alternatives, while maintaining comparable quality.

Former Chairwoman of the Association of Vietnamese Retailers Vu Thi Hau held that Vietnamese enterprises have invested big in production capabilities to create breakthroughs in quality improvement, product diversity, and packaging while maintaining competitive prices as compared to imports.

She added that prioritising domestic items not only helps Vietnamese consumers save their money but also support domestic economic development.

To ensure food security during the holiday season, Hanoi issued a market stabilisation programme and food safety plan. The city has maintained safe agricultural production while establishing supply chain connections with 1,327 agricultural producers across different provinces and cities.

According to Nguyen Kieu Oanh, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, the city has stockpiled 298,350 tonnes of rice, 59,670 tonnes of pork, and various other food items to meet customers' demand.

Economists said that consumer spending during the Tet season will trend towards economical choices due to ongoing economic challenges, prompting retailers to increase inventory and offer promotional programmes to stimulate consumption.