Vietnamese goods have regained local consumers’ confidence thanks to their good materials, diversified designs and competitive prices.

According to a survey conducted by the TV Plus Company, 58 percent of Vietnamese consumers have been interested in locally-made products since a campaign entitled “Vietnamese people use Vietnamese goods” was launched by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) more than one year ago, compared to 23 percent previously.

Vietnamese commodities now hold larger spaces in trade centres and supermarket chains. Duong Thi Quynh Trang, Director for External Relations at the Big C supermarket chain, said that at present, locally-made products at Big C supermarkets account for up to 95 percent of shelf space. At Hapro supermarkets, made-in-Vietnam commodities occupy 70-80 percent.

In the first six months of the year, sales revenues of many supermarket systems in the country sharply increased, with a rise of 30-40 percent in Ho Chi Minh City . Remarkably, the Saigon Co.op Mart system experienced revenue growth of 70 percent compared to the same period last year.

Not only urban areas have benefited - the MoIT has also brought domestically-made products to rural areas where up to 90 percent of goods on sale at markets are of Chinese or unknown origins. Sixty eight Vietnamese goods trade fairs in rural areas have attracted 4.8 million visitors and customers, generating more than 1.46 trillion VND in revenues.

According to President of the Association of Producers of Vietnamese High-Quality Goods Vu Kim Hanh, the rural market will be the focus of investment of foreign retailers instead of such large markets as Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang .

Therefore, if there is no sound strategy which targets the rural market, Vietnamese businesses will lose opportunities to sell their products in the home market, Hanh added.

Together with recommending businesses increase productivity and improve product quality, MoIT Deputy Minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa suggested they promote the “Vietnamese people use Vietnamese goods” campaign to more than 4.5 million overseas Vietnamese, making them ambassadors of Vietnamese goods in foreign markets./.