HCM CITY — A wide range of Vietnamese products are on display at the "Week of Trade Connection and Introduction of Vietnamese Products 2026”, which opened at GO! An Lạc shopping centre in HCM City on July 30.

Organised by the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City (ITPC) in collaboration with Central Retail Vietnam, the five-day event, running until August 3, aims to help Vietnamese products gain direct access to one of the country's largest modern retail networks while creating more sustainable distribution channels for domestic businesses.

More than 100 enterprises registered for the programme, with organisers selecting 40 companies that met the required standards to showcase products ranging from farm produce and processed foods to household goods, cosmetics and handicrafts.

This year's edition has expanded to include businesses from the former Bình Dương and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu provinces, broadening the range of products on display and creating new opportunities for business collaboration.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, ITPC Deputy Director Lê Anh Hoàng said the programme comes at a time when Vietnamese businesses are facing mounting challenges from global inflation, weakening consumer demand in major export markets, rising trade protectionism and higher logistics costs driven by geopolitical instability and volatile energy prices.

"In the face of global economic volatility, effectively tapping into a domestic market of more than 100 million people while deepening partnerships with modern distribution systems has become a vital strategy to ensure sustainable outlets for Vietnamese products," Hoàng said.

He added that the programme's key activity is a business matching (B2B) conference held on the opening day, attracting more than 100 registered enterprises, that enables direct discussions between local suppliers and Central Retail's procurement team on key requirements, including quality certifications, product registration documents, manufacturing standards and labour compliance.

Bollette Dimitri, commercial director for Fast-Moving Consumer Goods at Central Retail Vietnam, noted that 2026 marks the third consecutive year of the retailer's strategic partnership with ITPC. Over the past three years, it has engaged with more than 500 enterprises through the programme.

"For Vietnamese products to succeed on modern retail shelves, Central Retail consistently emphasises core standards, including food safety and hygiene, product traceability, professional packaging, regulatory compliance and sustainable supply capacity.

"We understand this is a challenging journey, but we do not simply set standards, we are committed to working alongside enterprises to help them achieve those standards," Dimitri said.

During the B2B matching session, Central Retail's procurement team will not only identify products suitable for immediate retail placement but also provide detailed advice on packaging, product design and regulatory requirements to help suppliers further improve their products.

"Our ultimate goal extends beyond Central Retail's shelves and domestic supermarket chains. We want to create a springboard for Vietnamese products to reach international export markets," he said. — BIZHUB/VNS