After witnessing robust growth in 2020, the FMGC industry slowed down drastically due to the impact of COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit hard on the business community worldwide. The consumption habits of customers have also altered greatly due to the consequences brought by the pandemic. Consumers mostly pay for necessities for daily life and lower the purchase of household appliances, beverage. Soft drinks consumption had a growth rate of -10% since the consumption rate had reached a new low from 2018 until now.
A report by Nielsen showed that the FMCG industry was heavily impacted by the pandemic and is still struggling to recover. A report from the General Statistics Office (GSO) showed that in the first quarter of 2021, the unemployment rate increased by almost 2.42%, accompanied by a declined need for shopping. Due to the negative influence of financial situation and unemployment, people's income has been dropping deep. Consumers will prioritize purchasing only life necessities.
The FMCG industry is still undergoing difficulties, however, FMCG companies can adapt to customers' changing consumption habits to strive again post-pandemic. The outlook for the FMCG industry is showing positive signs since Vietnamese consumers are showing the belief that the economic situation in the next 12 months will be better.
Kantar recently revealed Vietnam’s most chosen FMCG brands in 2020. According to Fabrice Carrasco, Managing Director Vietnam & Philippines, Asia Strategic Projects Director Worldpanel Division at Kantar, Vietnamese consumers had leaned toward essentials, cooking, and hygiene products. Vietnamese are also spending more time indoors. As a result, the ranking's top risers are dominated by food brands.
The top 3 most chosen FMCG companies remain the same as in 2019. Vinamilk and Unilever stayed at the top position in urban cities and rural areas, respectively.
Vinamilk continued to be the most chosen FMCG brand in the four key urban cities in Vietnam, with a consumer reach point (CRP) of 70.5 million points. In rural areas, Vinamilk is the third most chosen brand, with 238.4 million points. The penetration rate of Vinamilk in the urban and rural areas is 90.4% and 73.2%, respectively.
Unilever ranked second in the urban cities with 55.1 million CRPs and ranked first in rural areas with 321.3 million CRPs. P/S, a famous toothpaste brand by Unilever, had a penetration rate of 83% in rural areas. Sunlight, a dishwasher detergent brand under Unilever ranked the fourth most chosen FMCG brand in urban areas in terms of penetration rate, having a rate of 72.9%.
Masan Consumer is the third most chosen FMCG brand in the four key cities and ranked second in rural areas. CRP of Masan Consumer in these two areas is 42.3 million and 319.5 million points, respectively. Chin-Su and Nam Ngu, two famous sauce products of Masan, ranked second and third in terms of penetration rate in rural provinces, at 77.3% and 75.8%.
Nestlé had a CRP of 32.7 million points in the four key cities and became the fourth most chosen brand in these urban cities. CRP of Nestlé in rural provinces is 78.4 million points, which puts the company in eighth place. Nestlé's core brand – Milo, is majorly consumed in urban cities, ranked nine in the list of most chosen FMCG brands in terms of penetration rate.
Calofic had the highest growth rate of all the most chosen FMCG companies. Calofic, being one of the leading cooking oil manufacturers, became a rising star, driven by the significant growth of the cooking oil market in 2020 when Vietnamese spent more time home cooking. The cooking oil brand Simply is consumed a lot in rural provinces, with a penetration rate of 54.7%, being the area’s ninth most chosen FMCG brand.
Vietnam is a strong instant noodles consumption market, even more so when the pandemic struck and prevented Vietnamese from eating out. The need for a convenient meal, therefore, increased. With a large number of instant noodles sold in the market, Acecook remains a frequently chosen FMCG company in urban and rural areas. CRP of Acecook in the four key cities was 24.5 million points, and Hao Hao instand noodles – the core product of Acecook, had a penetration rate of 78.8% in urban areas, becoming the second most chosen FMCG brand.
Sources: Kantar, Statista
Compiled by VietnamCredit
