Vietnamese goods are no longer at a disadvantage compared to foreign ones. Nowadays, many local brands have become the daily choice of consumers in Da Nang. This positive result has been attributed to great efforts of Fatherland Front Committees at all levels in Da Nang in rolling out the 'Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods’ campaign.

Residents of Thanh Binh Ward in Hai Chau District participating in a regular charity market that allows poor people to choose and buy essential items on store shelves for zero dong. Photo: X.H

According to Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Ha, the Vice Chairwoman of the Hai Chau District Chapter, in 2023, the district developed the ‘cashless streets’ model across all its 13 wards to support the 'Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods’ campaign. The district also worked with local relevant units to hold a festival to promote the use of Vietnamese products at the APEC Sculpture Park. The event featured nearly 30 booths of local reputable businesses, displaying various products listed in the national One Commune-One Product (OCOP) program, typical rural industrial products, and quality locally-made goods at reasonable prices. She highlighted great efforts each ward has made to develop its own approach to support the 'Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods’ campaign.

In Thanh Binh Ward, a charity market takes places every Sunday. Till date, a combined total of 40 editions of this event have taken place in the ward, giving more than 22,500 gifts of locally-sourced fresh food and organic products, along with such essential items as cooking oil, fish sauce, monosodium glutamate, vegetables, rice, instant noodles, meat, and eggs. These markets aimed to support poor and disadvantaged households in the ward.

26-year-old Nguyen Thi Thao Trang, a resident of Thanh Binh Ward, shared her feelings on shopping at such an event: "I’m very moved by the local authorities’ care and support. The material gift may not be much, but it spreads love and kindness towards my family. I’m glad to receive meaningful gifts of quality local food for my family's meals."

In a similar move, Lien Chieu District focused on launching awareness- raising campaign to encourage local residents to prioritize using Vietnamese products in their daily lives.

Mrs. Pham Thi Hong Hanh, the Chairwoman of the Lien Chieu District Chapter, remarked that the district has paid special attention to promoting Nam O fish sauce and local distinctive OCOP products by opening a trade fair featuring  around 40 booths of local reputable businesses to introduce OCOP products, typical rural industrial goods, and potential local specialties, all guaranteeing quality and reasonable prices.

"In addition to promoting the consumption of Vietnamese products and brands among local citizens, the district also encouraged business households and brand owners to improve the quality and design of their products in order to make their products more appealing to consumers," Mrs. Hanh stated.

Mr. Bui Thanh Phu, the Director of Hong Huong Fish Sauce Company, stated: "With the Huong Lang Co fish sauce brand and in response to the 'Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods’ campaign,' when participating in programs and trade fairs featuring Vietnamese goods, we always commit to bringing the best products that ensure nutrition and quality for consumers. Fish sauce holds significant cultural value in the meals of Vietnamese people. Therefore, our company wishes for our products to reach more customers so that everyone can experience traditional, organic products that are good for users."

Through the use of official information channels and social media platforms, Cam Le District focused on encouraging local residents in voluntarily using high-quality Vietnamese goods, detecting and reporting acts of producing and trading counterfeit goods, intellectual property infringement, expired goods, goods of unknown origin, and goods that do not ensure food safety and hygiene. Therefore, this contributed positively to protecting consumers and encouraging the public to fight against smuggling, counterfeits, imitations, and poor-quality goods.

Da Nang Fatherland Front Committee Vice Chairwoman Tran Thi Man, reported that over the past year, the city opened 270 awareness raising sessions and 35 talk shows that attracted the participation of 43,773 people. These events aimed to introduce products from the OCOP program, start-up products, traditional products, and high-quality agricultural products in the city. In addition, the intention is to encourage local citizens to give priority using Vietnamese goods, products with clearly labelled sources of origin, as well as to report business acts involving fake and low-quality products, and increase public participation in production models and cooperatives.

Furthermore, heed was paid to organize 102 Vietnamese goods fairs to introduce innovative models and start-up products, agricultural products, and OCOP products.

In particular, Lien Chieu District organized a trade fair bringing together supply and demand in a certain industry, as well as boosting product sales in e-commerce. Meanwhile, Cam Le District organized the 'Echoing May’ festival, showcasing innovative models and start-up products, agricultural products, and OCOP products. Hai Chau District organized the 'Honoring Vietnamese Goods' festival.

A new feature this year is district' focus on connecting supply and demand, as well as boosting e-commerce sales, thereby contributing to  promoting Vietnamese brands and local agricultural products to more consumers.

"The city will organize a review meeting to evaluate the results of the 'Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods’ campaign in 2023 and identify tasks for 2024. This will help the city increase the quality and effectiveness of this campaign in the coming time." said Mrs. Man.

Reporting by XUAN HAU – Translating by THAO TRANG