Shoppers at a supermarket (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) – With the participation of 1,000-2,000 businesses who offer up to 100% discount on their products, Hanoi’s concentrated promotion programme has encouraged consumption and promote business and production activities.
The programme is also part of efforts to implement the campaign of “Vietnamese people prioritises Vietnamese product”.
Tran Thi Phuong Lan, Acting Director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade told VietnamPlus that the promotion events during the programme will be upgraded to enhance their quality, while trade promotion activities in association with the building of Vietnamese brand will be strengthened, which are expected to help the city achieve its economic targets.
Reporter: Could you outline the outcomes of Hanoi’s concentrated promotion programme after three years of implementation?
Tran Thi Phuong Lan: The concentrated promotion programme has been implemented on a large scale, with its peak on May, July and November with many attractive and practical activities. In particular, a remarkable breakthrough has been made in the programme with promotional events renewed and improved in quality. The discount rate was raised to 100% to make sure that consumers enjoy higher benefit, thus creating a shopping festival and stimulating consumption demand among local citizens.
With the discount rate of up to 100% and the participation of 1,000-2,000 companies from all economic sectors, the programme has provided a venue for businesses to organise events to encourage consumption and boost sales, thus reducing inventory and meeting the shopping demands of local residents.
The majority of firms joining the programme said that they enjoyed growth in revenue and customers, mostly in November with average increase of 50-150% compared to previous months, contributing to the overall growth of the city.
Specifically, total revenue from retail sales of goods and consumer services in 2022 reached about 697.7 trillion VND (29.39 billion USD), up 25.2% year on year, exceeding the set target by 9-10%. Of the total, the revenue from retail sales of goods hit 452.1 trillion VND, accounting for 64.8%, representing a rise of 17.4%.
The trade promotion programme has drawn 1,000-2,000 businesses from all economic sectors, providing many groups of products, including consumer goods, OCOP (One Commune-One Product) products, traditional products, necessities, foodstuff, and specialties of regions. Alongside, trade centres, supermarkets, electronic supermarkets, shops and manufacturers of consumer goods have also joined the event.
Many promotions are offered at the programme (Photo: VietnamPlus) All businesses joining the programme must be verified and introduced by local Departments of Industry and Trade, and have to show certificates on the origin and food safety for their products which are closely controlled from distributors and local authorities.
Therefore, the majority of businesses and manufacturers attending the event have made good preparation in the volume and quality of their products with clear origin, reasonable prices and attractive discounts. They must show good trade practice in line with the law.
Reporter: With those encouraging results, what are the new points of Hanoi’s concentrated promotion programme this year?
Tran Thi Phuong Lan: The programme aims to strengthen trade promotion in association with strengthening the brands of Vietnamese goods, thus effectively connecting production and consumption, promoting domestic consumption, boosting the development of the domestic market, stimulating demand, and contribute to the recovery and development of the tourism industry.
At the same time, the programme is expected to initiate a “shopping season” at year-end, enabling busineses in all fields and all economic sectors to build and implement their promotion activities.
The upgraded promotional events with higher quality as well as trade promotion activities associated with the building of trademark for Vietnamese goods are hoped to help the city complete its dual goals.
The city aims to create an effective connectivity between production and consumption, promote domestic sales, increase revenue for businesses, raise the total retail sales of consumer goods and services, thus contributing to completing the city’s GDP growth targets in 2023 and the 2021-2025 period, controlling inflation and ensuring social welfare following the directions of the Government, the municipal Party Committee and the resolution of the city People’s Council.
Reporter: What are the highlights of the concentrated promotion programme in 2023?
Tran Thi Phuong Lan: The concentrated promotion programme will have a large scale, with promotion events focusing on May, July and November, attracting 1,000-2,000 firms from all economic sector.
Specifically, in May, a promotion day of consumer goods and farm produce will be held, along with a promotion festival of fashion and beauty products at fashion and cosmetics shop chains or trade centres and supermarkets across Hanoi.
In July, a promotion festival on electronic and technology products will be held from July 28-30 at the chains of electronics, telecommunications and information technology shops or at trade centres and supermarkets in the city.
Meanwhile, a cashless event 2023 will be organised to introduce incentives for customers conducting payment and shopping activities at commercial centres, large supermarkets, convenience store chains, e-commerce platforms and payment for other services, while offering them experiences about non-cash payment products and technologies as well as promotion for non-cash payment activities.
Specialties of different regions introduced to consumers. (Photo: VietnamPlus) In November, a promotion month will be held across the city, with the participation of businesses and manufacturers from all areas.
Also in the month, a Hanoi Midnight Sale 2023 will take place from November 24-25 (Back Friday), drawing about 200 businesses, trade centres, supermarkets and production and business chains.
The programme also expected the response from e-commerce platforms and websites of distributors and producers in the city.
Reporter: Along with the concentrated promotion programme, the city has also encouraged businesses to strengthen consumption stimulation in various forms. Could you give more details about this?
Tran Thi Phuong Lan: In addition to the main events within the framework of the programme, many activities and events in response to the programme will also be organised to support trade connection, brand promotion and product consumption for Vietnamese businesses.
Notably, a safe farm produce and food fair will be held, along with series of events to connect sustainable production and consumption of products from traditional craft villages; a week to introduce fruits and farm produce of cities and provinces; a week for promotion and sales of food and farm produce through distribution channels; and events to connect producers and consumers of garment and textile products; and a souvenir fair.
Besides, Hanoi will hold a Fruit Festival, an OCOP-food and farm produce-consumer goods week in Thailand; a festival of safe food for Mid-Autumn Festival; an international fair for gifts of handicrafts; fairs for safe food and agricultural products supplied to markets in the city; a Vietnamese fashion product brand festival; a fair of rural industrial goods; a popular Vietnamese goods fair; and a Vietnamese goods week.
Reporter: As many consumption stimulation events are being carried out, what have local authorities done to protect consumers and prevent the trading of low-quality products at the events?
Tran Thi Phuong Lan: The city Department of Industry and Trade will coordinate with the municipal Department of Market Management, the Trade, Investment and Tourism Promotion Centre and relevant agencies to examine and control trading, exhibiting and introducing activities to timely detect smuggled and counterfeit goods and products, violations of intellectual property rights as well as low-quality products, while strictly handle violations and ensuring the interest of consumers.
At the same time, the department will work closely with relevant agencies to supervise trade activities in line with the law throughout the programme, ensuring that it is implemented in a substantial and effective manner.
Reporter: Thank you very much./.
