The “Buy Vietnamese Goods” campaign launched by the Politburo has shown progress since it was launched last year. Yet producers still have a long path ahead to make these goods the first choice of Vietnamese consumers.

More and more Vietnamese goods chosen

On July 31, 2009, the Politburo released Document No. 264, launching the “Buy Vietnamese Goods” campaign. After that, it opened nationwide to persuade Vietnamese consumers to purchase domestic products.

One year later, big retailers all report that the percentage of Vietnamese goods sold at their distribution channels has increased significantly. Big C in Hanoi, for example, noted that imports account for only 20-30 percent of all products.

Tran Manh Canh, Deputy General Director of Hapro, calculated that domestic goods available at Hapro now account for 70-80 percent of their items.

“The volume of Vietnamese products sold has increased by 20 percent over the same period of 2009,” established Vu Thi Hau, Deputy General Director of Fivimart. Hau added that the quality and designs of these products has improved, while prices have been competitive, thus attracting more buyers.

To date, people still argue about what is meant by “Vietnamese goods.” Some argue that these are products made by 100 percent domestically-owned enterprises. Vu Kim Hanh, Director of the Business Studies and Assistance Centre (BSA), disagrees, asserting that it means goods made in Vietnam. If so, joint-venture goods and those made by multinational groups in Vietnam with international brands are also considered to be “Vietnamese.”

Hanh added that this campaign is not a xenophobic policy and the country is not closing its doors to imports. In fact, imported products should be seen as rivals for Vietnamese enterprises that force producers to improve.

Products must build firm distribution network

Vu Vinh Phu, Chair of Hanoi Supermarket Association, observed that, in order to bring more Vietnamese goods to consumers, producers need to build up wide and firm distribution networks to reach rural environs.

“Producers should be more active in bringing goods to rural areas,” Phu maintained, adding that consumers will forget producers if they only bring goods to sell once every several months.

Sharing the same view, Kim Hanh added that rural areas should be seen as very important markets and also stated that the global financial crisis, when export markets narrowed, made Vietnamese companies realize that they should develop the domestic market.

Hanh went on to predict that enterprises will face many difficulties if they act single-handedly in bringing goods to rural areas to sell. At first, they need support from management agencies to access the market, especially to access remote areas.

Canh from Hapro thinks that it is necessary to build distribution networks, plus develop shops and markets in rural areas so that people can purchase real Vietnamese goods. “This is the key to successful implementation of the campaign,” he concluded.

Source: Thoi bao Kinh te Vietnam