The 16th edition of its kind, themed 'Green Brand—Rich Vietnamese Identity' and jointly organized by Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper and the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Trade Cooperatives (Saigon Co.op), officially kicked off on June 7.
Leading the green living and green consumption
Amid a global push of environmental technical barriers ranging from the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to stringent emissions standards in the United States, the development of eco-friendly products and brands is no longer a trend but a mandatory requirement for Vietnamese businesses. The Green Consumption Campaign, initiated by Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper in 2010, has been a pioneer in shaping an ecosystem of communication, connection, and consumption, helping to foster a culture of green consumption within the community.
Ms. Bui Thi Hong Suong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, said that since its launch in 2010, the campaign has been identified as not merely a traditional advocacy effort but as a strategically guided, long-term communication process where journalism, distribution networks, and businesses join hands to catalyze sustainable consumer behavior in the community.
Since its inception, the campaign has carried out hundreds of small and large communication programs with the participation of over 800 retail outlets nationwide in the Saigon Co.op’s supermarket chain to bring environmentally responsible products and green brands closer to consumers. Each campaign season has introduced a distinct theme, such as “Green Schools,” “Shopping Marathon—Green Families,” “Green Movements,” and “Green Brand—Rich Vietnamese Identity.”
This year’s highlight is the focus on building brand stories for businesses supplying goods to the distribution system, helping them narrate their green transformation journey through visuals, stories, and consumer experiences at the point of sale. According to the organizers, this is not merely a means of communication but a redefinition of the Vietnamese brand identity in the era of the greening of commerce.
Greening for sustainable market share
A key highlight of the 16th Green Consumption Campaign 2025 is the close coordination between media and Saigon Co.op’s retail policy.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thang, Deputy General Director of Saigon Co.op, said that the Green Consumption Campaign is not merely a periodic event, but it is an integral part of the company’s long-term development strategy. Saigon Co.op is committed to working alongside businesses in building a modern, sustainable, and human-centered retail ecosystem by connecting the market with socially responsible Vietnamese brands.
Each June alone, sales of green-certified products have risen by 50–60 percent. Notably, the 2024 campaign recorded over 7 million impressions, seven times more than its inaugural year. These figures underscore the campaign’s growing appeal and serve as clear evidence of the market potential for businesses that actively engage in environmental protection.
At the launch ceremony of the 16th Green Consumption Campaign, a host of reputable brands with green production processes aligning with environmental standards and regulations directly introduced their products to consumers through an innovative display model featuring integrated QR codes that tell the brand’s story, such as Saigon Cosmetics Corporation (SCC), Bibica Joint Stock Company (BBC), and OPC Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (OPC), alongside thousands of other product groups including cosmetics, OCOP (One Commune One Product) agricultural goods, and processed foods. This new feature of the campaign connects consumer behavior with technological interaction, brand recognition, and value connection.
Beyond retail outlets, the campaign also launched a hands-on program titled “Green Experience with Businesses,” running from June 5 to June 30, offering customers an opportunity to visit green production facilities at participating enterprises, helping to build trust and foster stronger connections with socially responsible brands.
Fostering engagement between corporations and consumers
After 16 consecutive years of implementation, the Green Consumption Campaign has not only helped shape a green lifestyle in urban areas but also exerted positive pressure on businesses to proactively green their production processes and brands. According to evaluations from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, participating enterprises have shown a growing tendency to invest in innovative packaging, circular production technologies, and meeting stringent export market standards in Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
From a policy perspective, the campaign has also become a valuable practical information channel for policymakers in developing strategies to promote Vietnamese products that meet green standards. The widespread communication of environmentally committed brands helps shape the concept of a ‘green passport,’ a new competitive factor in the context of international integration, said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoa, Chairman of theHo Chi Minh City Union of Business Association (HUBA).
In a message addressed to the business community, Ms. Bui Thi Hong Suong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, emphasized the Green Consumption Campaign affirms the role of the press in creating social momentum. The organizer urges businesses to continue to accompany and invest seriously in green brand strategies, as this represents not only immediate benefits but also an opportunity for enterprises to sustain themselves amid the global green economy.
With this vision, the 16th Green Consumption Campaign in 2025 aims to widely promote the message “Choose Green Vietnamese Products—Live Green Every Day,” leveraging traditional media, social networks, online newspapers, and interactive activities at points of sale. The close collaboration between Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, a reputable press agency, and Saigon Co.op, a leading distribution system, has created a strong “green launchpad” for sustainable business and consumption in Vietnam.
The 16th Green Consumption Campaign in 2025 continues to affirm its pioneering role in shaping behavior and uniting the community on the path toward sustainable development. It is a campaign marked by concrete actions, delivering lasting value for the market, businesses, and society at large.
