Consumers have returned to domestic products, instead of imports after a series of Chinese-made products were found to be dangerously contaminated. This is a good chance for domestic producers to corner the market.

A boom in domestic products

Vietnamese products are flooding supermarkets and wholesale centres in Hanoi. According to confectioners in Hanoi’s downtown Streets, products of Kinh Do, Vinabico and other domestic brand names have been stocked and are ready for sale during the upcoming traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet).

A shop owner at 75 To Hien Thanh Street says that since early this year domestic products of reputable brand names have been widely consumed while imported products have only accounted for 20 percent of total sales.

Another shop owner in Ton That Tung Street says that this year, the consumption of Vietnamese products is several times higher than that of imported ones.

Le Thi Huong, a supermarket assistant in Thai Thinh Street says that baskets of Tet gifts containing mainly domestic goods are sold at reasonable prices and are found to be quite suitable by consumers.

Domestic goods are of the same quality as imported ones, Nguyen Thi Noi, a consumer in Kham Thien Street says. In addition, their designs and packaging are diversified and beautiful. So she often purchases Vietnamese products because of their high quality and reasonable price.

In all major markets, Vietnamese goods are given pride of place. For example, in Big C and Metro supermarkets, there are about 50 kinds of cake and jam mostly made in Vietnam. Imported products no longer gain the upper hand as in previous years. A majority of consumers are now choosing confectionery products of Huu Nghi, Hai Ha, Hai Ha-Kotobuki and Kinh Do companies which meet food hygiene safety standards and offer reasonable prices.

Market control

According to confectionery producers, the prices of raw materials continue to increase this year. In particular, sugar is twice as high as in the same period last year and vegetable oil has risen by 20 percent in price. Thanks to businesses’ efforts to cut production costs, the prices of goods remain rather stable, just up by 5-10 percent against the previous Lunar New Year festival.

However, a large amount of confectioneries without labels, expiry dates and places of production are on sale in Hanoi’s Dong Xuan market as well as in Hang Buom, Hang Giay, Nguyen Sieu and Ma May streets. The prices of these goods are much lower than other legitimate domestic or imported products.

Recently, on January 5, a tonne of confectionery, dried fruit and melon seeds without clear origin was discovered and confiscated on the way to Dong Xuan market.

From now until the Lunar New Year holiday, inspections will be intensified in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to limit the production and consumption of substandard products, which are harmful to people’s health.