With consumers tightening their spending and prioritizing value-for-money options, many businesses have launched attractive promotional programs, effective immediately and lasting until the end of the year.
At supermarkets, goods are stacked high on the shelves. Some systems have focused on improving and enhancing quality, building reasonable prices, especially for agricultural products, with Vietnamese goods and OCOP products dominating the shelves and being well received by consumers.
“The promotion programs will stimulate consumers’ shopping needs. We focus on essential goods, especially Vietnamese goods… For industries with low consumption, we have special programs to stimulate shopping demands,” said Le Van Liem, Director of Saigon Co.op’s Northern Region.
At the “Week of Trade Connection and Space Introduction of Vietnamese Products in Satra Modern Distribution System in 2025”, nearly 50 businesses displayed and introduced nearly 500 diverse product models in the industries of food, beverages, and handicrafts.
These products have achieved reputable quality certifications such as OCOP, Halal, VietGAP, and GlobalGAP. They also include key industrial products, award-winning Ho Chi Minh City Golden Brand products, and other characteristic products of the city.
According to Ha Ngoc Son, Deputy General Director of Satra, an important highlight of the Week was the trade connection program with more than 150 businesses. This practical forum allows cooperatives and businesses to directly exchange and have their questions answered regarding product standards and the stringent requirements for entering modern distribution systems.
“In the context of businesses facing consumption market difficulties, especially with the forecasted decline in exports, focusing on exploiting the domestic market with nearly 100 million people is extremely important. This Week will support businesses in boosting product consumption, thereby promoting the recovery and development of production and business activities in a challenging context,” said Tran Phu Lu, Director of ITPC.
Meanwhile, on May 16, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and Central Group (Thailand) signed a cooperation program to support the promotion of production and consumption of Vietnamese goods in the domestic and foreign markets, witnessed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Accordingly, Central will closely coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to organize annual trade promotion activities in Vietnam and some other countries, including “Vietnamese Goods Week” in Thailand. The group also committed to providing a detailed technical guide on the necessary standards for Vietnamese enterprises to bring their goods into the group’s supermarket system and shopping centers in the operating markets.
A report by the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that modern retail channels (supermarkets, shopping centers, etc.) currently account for just over 22% of the total retail market revenue. The remaining largest revenue share belongs to traditional markets, convenience stores, grocery stores, and retail agencies, accounting for 78% of the market share in the structure of Vietnamese goods retail.
To tap into this market and create more effective consumption outlets for Vietnamese goods, retail corporations such as Co.op Mart, Satra Foods, and Vinmart+ are actively expanding their investment scale. According to WinCommerce, since the beginning of 2025, the company has put into operation an additional 184 WinMart+ convenience stores, bringing the total number of stores nationwide to 4,000.
“In addition to launching ‘Premium’ stores, we are also deploying two models, WinMart Urban (with an area of 1,000-2,000 square meters) and WinMart+ Rural (with an area of 100-120 square meters), in suitable locations. The Rural model is the ‘ace’ in our strategy to conquer the rural market, with a focus on domestic goods at good prices and intensive promotional programs,” said WinCommerce Director Nguyen Thi Phuong.
Not to be outdone, in 2015, Mobile World Investment Corporation also invested in the Bach Hoa Xanh convenience store system nationwide. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Bach Hoa Xanh opened 94 new stores, bringing the total number of self-select stores to 1,849 across the country. Similarly, Saigon Co.op has invested in nearly 800 Co.op Food convenience stores nationwide.
According to economic experts, the operation of many convenience stores by retailers will heat up the domestic market’s purchasing power. Vice President of the Vietnam Retailers Association, Tran Thi Phuong Lan, said that this would boost the consumption of Vietnamese goods as each convenience store provides an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to directly exchange, buy and sell with consumers, and understand their needs to improve product quality accordingly.
“The reason is that Vietnamese retail enterprises have policies to prioritize Vietnamese goods on their shelves. This is an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to expand their markets and consume their products,” Ms. Lan analyzed.
Concurring with this analysis, Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, Nguyen Kieu Oanh, said that the convenience store system is a bridge for enterprises to consume Vietnamese goods. Therefore, in the coming time, the Hanoi industry and trade sector will accompany retail enterprises in developing modern commercial infrastructure such as supermarkets and convenience stores, and focus on calling for and supporting enterprises in building, operating, and developing the retail system.
Welcoming the summer, WinMart supermarket system is offering a promotion program called “Welcome Summer – Surprising Price Shock” with many attractive discounts, buy-one-get-one deals, and more. Specifically, from now until May 21, there is a 50% discount on fashion and beauty products, and hundreds of other food and beverage items with “shock” discounts.
Lotte Mart is offering a promotion called “Sun Touches the Ground, Price Touches the Bottom” with up to 50% discounts on summer cooling products until May 29. Similarly, the Co.op Mart system is also implementing a rotation of 15-20% discounts on daily food items.
MM Mega Market is offering discounts of 10-50% on thousands of products, focusing on food, fresh produce, and beverages. MM is offering discounts of up to 50% on over 50 essential items and coordinating the organization of Lam Dong Butter Week with discounts of up to 50%.
A Proposal to Adjust Excise Tax Rates for Select Products and Commodities
The proposed revisions to the Special Consumption Tax Law offer a nuanced approach to taxation. Alongside exempting smaller air conditioners from special consumption tax, the draft law addresses nuanced scenarios, such as exported goods that have already incurred special consumption tax being returned from abroad. Additionally, it proposes adjustments to tax rates for pick-up trucks and a revised plan for implementing tax rates on alcoholic beverages from 2027 onwards.
“Proposal to Exempt Small Air Conditioners from Special Consumption Tax and Reduce Tax Increase on Pickup Trucks”
Air conditioners with a capacity of less than 18,000 BTU and over 90,000 BTU are expected to be exempt from taxes, while gasoline remains subject to special consumption tax.
The Urgent Need to ‘Clamp Down’ on Country of Origin Fraud to Protect Vietnamese Products and Mitigate Tariff Risks
The surge in fraud and falsification of goods’ country of origin labeled as “Made in Vietnam” to evade taxes and exploit trade preferences has prompted authorities to implement stricter control measures.
The Vietnamese Steel Market in Q1 2025: A Tale of Domestic Revival and Export Standstill
The domestic steel industry witnessed robust growth in the first quarter of 2025, with production and consumption on the rise, fueled by an economic rebound and robust public investment disbursements. However, steel exports faced significant headwinds due to international trade barriers, plunging into a deep decline and presenting fresh challenges for steel companies.
‘Money Flow into the Market is Not Fast Enough to Stimulate Growth’
“Domestic consumption and investment incentives currently contribute over 90% to GDP growth. With exports facing challenges, it is imperative to find solutions to stimulate and unleash these two drivers. However, as Dr. Can Van Luc, a renowned economist, points out, there is a prevailing issue of increasing money supply but slow velocity of money circulation. This results in a lag in the infusion of money into the market, hindering the desired growth trajectory.”
