Despite still-muted purchasing power, Vietnamese products continue to gain traction at traditional markets and supermarkets across Ho Chi Minh City, as consumers increasingly prioritise locally made goods, from fresh food and fast-moving consumer items to processed products, for their stable quality, reasonable prices and transparent origins.
Consumers place trust in Vietnamese goods
At Binh Tay market in Ho Chi Minh City, domestically-produced goods dominate stalls selling dried food, cakes and confectionery, as shoppers increasingly favour Vietnamese products for their reliable quality and suitability to local tastes.
Ha Thi Thanh Trang, an overseas Vietnamese in Norway, said she always visits Binh Tay Market when returning home for Tet, noting that Vietnamese-made products remain appealing for their distinctive flavours, suitability to local tastes, and clear labelling that offers greater consumer confidence.
Vietnamese products also dominate shelves at major supermarket chains in Ho Chi Minh City, including Co.opmart, WinMart, MM Mega Market Vietnam, GO!, Satra and Bach Hoa Xanh, ranging from fresh produce and meat to processed and household goods.
Le Minh Tung, a resident of Tan Phu ward, said Vietnamese products now feature better packaging and quality at reasonable prices, with many items well suited to the tastes and daily demands of Vietnamese families.
Vietnamese consumers choose domestic products out of trust in their quality, driving a more diverse local market and strengthening homegrown brands.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau, Deputy Director of the Binh Tay ward’s public service supply centre in Ho Chi Minh City, said improved quality and greater product diversity have helped Vietnamese goods dominate Binh Tay wholesale market, with stable demand and a slight year-on-year increase during this year’s Tet holiday.
Supermarkets step up linkages, prioritise domestic goods
Prioritising Vietnamese products is part of retailers’ sustainable strategies, with locally made goods accounting for more than 90% of products at Central Retail Vietnam’s supermarket chains such as GO! and Tops Market, according to Communications Director Nguyen Thi Bich Van.
The retailer has strengthened links with domestic producers and rolled out promotional programmes to expand the presence of Vietnamese goods.
Meanwhile, Co.opmart said high-quality Vietnamese products are key to its competitiveness, noting that private-label lines sourced from local producers have become a strategic segment thanks to competitive pricing, reliable quality and broad consumer appeal.
OCOP products and regional specialties are a highlight of this year’s market, with MM Mega Market Vietnam offering around 200 OCOP items, double the year-ago figure, ranging from confectionery to ready-to-eat foods that meet food safety standards.
The retailer has also prioritised regional fruits, offered discounts of up to 30% and introduced reasonably priced gift baskets, helping Vietnamese goods and OCOP products gain wider popularity among consumers in Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Duc Toan, CEO of MM Mega Market Vietnam said.
According to Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said rising demand for Vietnamese products across markets and supermarkets reflects growing consumer confidence and encourages businesses to invest more in quality and branding.
Amid market challenges, the “Vietnamese use Vietnamese goods” trend is helping stabilise demand while strengthening the domestic production and distribution ecosystem./.
