The Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City has launched the green consumption campaign with a view to call on consumers to play their part in protecting the environment. The city has encouraged consumers to use green products. Co-op Mart has supported the promotion of green and environmentally friendly products by providing preferential positioning in their stores and adding increased marketing. The green consumer campaign has influenced traditional markets resulting in an increased number of green products that have been sold. Modern consumers want to use not only high-quality, but also environmentally friendly products and they are willing to buy these green products at higher prices. Therefore, the market share of businesses will increase if they aware of their responsibility to promote environmental protection.
The Kinh Do Plant in Binh Duong was recently put into operation in the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park. Closed modern technology lines from European Union (EU) countries have been used in the plant including a layer cake production line, mini Swiss roll production line and cracker production line that meet GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) regulations. The A Chau Company has imported international quality production lines such as Swiss powder rollers and oven, and their moon cake production line is operated by computer, Japanese automated oven and German cooling line. A Chau Company's products have met the requirements of green and safe production.
In other sectors, an iron production line based on NOF lead-free technology, SPM flat rolling mill machine and tension labeler - the first kind in Vietnam - have been invested by the Asia Huu Lien Joint Stock Company. Its cold iron and colored cold iron products have been made via environmental friendly production process.
And the modern production line from Chinese Taipei has enabled the Tan Cuong Thanh Electrical Wire Corporation to produce high quality products including ABC Aluminum, ADB copper, AS, ACKP and PVC cabling, as well as XLPE with power voltage from 0.6 to 24 KV. An aluminum furnace and a copper furnace with 30,000 tonnes/year and 50,000 tonnes/year capacity have been used by the company to make use of recycled aluminum and cooper materials to produce electrical wire products.
The Van Thanh Mousse and Foam Company has recently launched high quality environmentally friendly products such as spring mattresses and bed mattresses through high quality production lines from the USA, Germany, Italia, Chinese Taipei and Japan. The company has imported a Korean production line with total investment of US$580,000.
LIKSIN Corporation printing and packing products have not only met aesthetic requirements but also HACCP requirement for food and safe hygiene thanks to the off-set speedmaster CD-102-6-LX-UV printer. LIKSIN wrapping and packing products have been offered to famous brand names including Heineken, Tiger, Sabeco, Nestle, Vinamilk, Coca-Cola, Unilever and Kinh Do due to their environmentally friendly characteristics.
However, according to businesses, the cost of green and safe products is higher than normal products resulting in higher prices. Consequently, these products are not as competitive as other products. Therefore, the Government should develop concrete support mechanisms that reduce administrative procedures when taking development loans, improve green production processes and launching green consumption campaigns to popularize green products to consumers.
(Monre, 19/4/2011)