(VEN) - Ever since the Politburo launched the campaign "Vietnamese People Prioritize Using Vietnamese Goods", hundreds of workshops on the campaign have been organized where positive suggestions and opinions have been presented.
Positive changes in Vietnamese consumer and producer behavior
According to economic experts, the campaign "Vietnamese People Prioritize Using Vietnamese Goods" launched by the Politburo during the period from July 2009 to December 2011 has reaped remarkable successes.
Vietnamese goods have entered almost all supermarkets in Vietnam, accounting for 90-95 percent of the total goods on sale. They are often showcased on eye-catching and hand-reachable shelves in chain stores including Fivimart, Big C and Coop Mart.
"We've done this because Vietnamese consumers have increasingly favored using Vietnamese goods. Before 2010, only 28 percent of Vietnamese consumers favored using Vietnamese goods; the proportion rose to 50 percent in 2010 and to more than 70 percent in 2011," said Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Ho Thi Kim Thoa at the One-Year Campaign Review Conference.
State owned enterprises have registered more than 3,000 items made from Vietnamese materials, equipment and labor, saving trillions of dong from hiring foreign experts and purchasing machines and technology. For example, the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) had saved US$2.67 billion in 2009 and US$6.2 billion in 2010.
The Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) has organized more than 60 sale tours in industrial zones and rural and remote areas. In addition, it has expanded a nationwide network of distribution including 3,100 agents, 58 stores, and about 100 products kiosks. "Thanks to the expanded national distribution network, Vinatex has increased its annual domestic revenues by 23 percent in 2010 as compared to 2009, and by 15 percent in 2011 as compared to 2010. In the near future, Vinatex will plan to reach out to all rural areas in the country and provide products suitable for local needs," said Head of Vinatex's Domestic Market Department Nguyen Thi Hong Tin.
Le Ba Trinh, the deputy chairman of the Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the head of the Government's Campaign Standing Committee admitted that the two-year campaign has successfully encouraged Vietnamese consumers and producers to consider using Vietnamese goods which they previously regarded as being of lower quality and incomparable to import substitutes. Vietnamese producers have strived to improve their product quality and sale services while Vietnamese consumers have changed their buying habits. "However, in the market economy of Vietnam, a fierce competition among brands is indispensable and therefore the campaign should be promoted more in the media so that all Vietnamese people, especially those who live rural and remote areas, can respond," he added.
How to bring Vietnamese goods to Vietnamese people?
"That major question still hanging over in my mind is the fact that I've been to many rural and remote areas and seen Chinese garments of diverse design, vivid in color, and cheap in price, selling well in local markets. Those locals can't be blamed for not buying Vietnamese garments as they must look for what are most suitable for their needs. That means Vietnamese garments in particular, and Vietnamese goods in general, won't find market unless meeting required standards for design, quality and color," said head of Vinatex's Domestic Market Department Nguyen Thi Hong Tin.
In order to bring Vietnamese goods to Vietnamese consumers, domestic producers must pay more attention to and survey the domestic market, especially the market segments they are aimed at, and try to make product promotion plans for every one of the segments, while taking into account their product competitiveness. Domestic producers should bring on the market products which are most suitable to domestic consumers in terms of design, quality and price so that domestic consumers need not to look for imported goods. In addition, relevant authorities should promulgate more trade incentive policies to encourage domestic producers and consumers and more strict regulations to prevent the penetration of illegal imports.
According to deputy chairman of the Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Le Ba Trinh, to bring Vietnamese goods to Vietnamese consumers, it is necessary to increase public awareness of Vietnamese goods in terms of design, quality and price; but the most important thing however is how to appeal all producers to respond to the campaign because they are the first key factor in the market. They themselves will be capable of changing consumer behavior through bringing out on the market new lines of best-designed and high-quality merchandise./.
By Nguyen Hoa
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