In the context of the digital economy and multi-channel trade reshaping the entire global production - distribution - consumption value chain, improving competitiveness for businesses in the fast-moving consumer goods and food industries is not only an urgent requirement but also a prerequisite for survival and development.
At the Workshop "Improving the competitiveness of fast-moving consumer goods and food businesses in the context of digital transformation and multi-channel trade" organized by Cong Thuong Newspaper, Ms. Tran Dieu Huong - Department of Domestic Market Management and Development (Ministry of Industry and Trade) said that the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry plays a key role in socio-economic life.
The industry provides essential products such as food, beverages, personal hygiene with high turnover speed, quickly reflecting consumer trends.
In the period of 2021 - 2024, the total retail sales of the FMCG industry will increase by an average of 10%/year, in the context of GDP in 2024 increasing by 7.09%, forecast to reach 8% in 2025. The market has shifted strongly towards green, clean, healthy consumption, focusing on origin and production processes.
At the same time, the modern distribution system and e-commerce grew strongly. In 2024, e-commerce will increase by over 22%, expected to account for 10% of total retail sales in 2025" - Ms. Tran Dieu Huong informed.
However, according to Ms. Huong - small and medium enterprises still face difficulties in capital, technology, and digital human resources. Support policies are implemented synchronously such as investing in logistics infrastructure, supporting credit, taxes, human resource training, perfecting legal documents for the O2O model, livestreaming... to build the FMCG industry into a driving force for sustainable domestic growth.
According to Mr. Dao Thanh Tung, Head of E-commerce Department of Lotte Mart Vietnam - e-commerce is no longer simply a new sales channel.
Vietnam is currently the country with the second fastest retail e-commerce growth rate in Southeast Asia, with a digital user penetration rate exceeding 60%. At LOTTE Mart, e-commerce is positioned as a new operating platform - instead of just a sales support tool.
ERP, warehouse, CRM, delivery systems... are connected and automated in real time, allowing fast delivery within 1-2 hours or 300km between provinces.
During the storm in May 2025 in Hanoi, LOTTE Mart still maintained 70% of orders thanks to flexible operational capabilities. Modern retail is shifting from a mass strategy to an in-depth segment, personalized according to each customer group" - Mr. Dao Thanh Tung said.
Mr. Dao Thanh Tung emphasized that e-commerce not only changes consumer behavior, but also redefines the entire retail ecosystem, becoming a strategic driving force for sustainable and competitive development in the digital age.
Discussing at the Workshop on experience in digital transformation in operations and distribution, Ms. Doan Trang Ha Thanh, Operations Director of Lazada Vietnam emphasized that digital transformation in operations and distribution is becoming a key factor helping food and FMCG businesses optimize business efficiency.
Enterprises are recommended to invest in sustainable operations on digital platforms, promote logistics digitalization and enhance livestream sales activities.
Digitization of distribution not only shortens processing time, reduces operating costs but also improves market access, especially for products that need to be preserved such as fresh food, thereby expanding scale and improving competitiveness on digital trade channels - Ms. Doan Trang Ha Thanh emphasized.
