HCMC asked to facilitate enterprises

Deputy Director General of Saigon Food Le Thanh Lam mentioned the problem that foreign supermarkets impose much higher discount rates than domestic ones. Along with policy changes, this fact has caused enterprises to suffer financial difficulties.

In response to the situation, a number of enterprises gathered together to demand for lower discount rates. For example, enterprises under the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) fought and now enjoy a discount rate reduced to 15%. Vingroup has also proposed a discount rate reduced by 50% for almost all Vietnamese enterprises. It also does not apply transport charge. At present, the rates among foreign supermarkets are around 15-30%. Meanwhile, the highest discount rate of domestic supermarkets is just about 10%. Therefore, enterprises often team with domestic supermarkets, which have obviously not been comprehensively and quickly developed as foreign ones.

She suggested that the authorities create more opportunities for domesitc supermarkets to develop so that enterprises can benefit from that.

Lam also proposed that domestic supermarkets keep or reduce the current discount rates to boost sales in the domestic supermarket system. She then mentioned food safety, which is the “hot” issue of many supermarkets.

CEO of Saigon Co.op Diep Dung raised the concern that  international businesses may rival Vietnamese ones right at home and suggested building a value-added supply chain for sectors. The CEO underscored that Vietnamese businesses must meet three conditions to join the supply chain, namely the standardization of product quality, the standardization of production process, and the standardization of management system. Therefore, the city authorities should provide financial as well as policy support for enterprises to standardize themselves before joining the supply chain.

Besides the competition in the retail market, there are others issues enterprises raised, such as counterfeiting, brand building, business administrative procedures.

Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Dinh La Thang highly appreciated all ideas and opinions. He affirmed that the ideas and opinions are good not only for enterprises, but also for the city. He hoped to receive more contributed ideas and opinions from local enterprises.