Sustainable consumption – a trend that needs to be grasped and promoted by businesses

Sustainable consumption contributes to changing the environment for the better.

Ms. LTT Mai (35 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) said that in the past, she only occasionally bought organic foods even though she understood that organic products are better for health. However, when she learned more about the process of making organic products on the basis of not harming the environment, this became a "priority" of hers when shopping, even though the products were more expensive. Ms. Mai shared the reason because she thought it was also a way to support products and businesses to make more products that are good for the environment.

Consumers tend to choose green, clean products that limit environmental impact.

As for young people, instead of consuming “fast fashion” (buying cheap, changing constantly, discarding a lot), many have chosen to recycle, reuse, and liquidate clothes and fashion accessories to limit the disposal of old clothes – a type of waste that negatively impacts the environment.

This trend is part of the reason why many major fashion brands around the world have also implemented programs such as old-for-new exchange, or receiving old items from customers for recycling or reuse, helping to extend the life cycle of clothes, thereby reducing the huge amount of waste released into the environment by the fashion industry.

Green consumption and sustainable consumption are no longer strange concepts, but are gradually becoming more popular in daily life and have been further promoted after the global pandemic - Covid-19. A survey by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) in 2021 of 14,000 people from 9 countries showed that 90% of respondents said that Covid-19 had changed their perspective on issues related to the environment and sustainable consumption. Not only that, consumers also turned their backs on and "limited" the use of products from businesses that cause pollution, waste resources, or have negative impacts on the environment and the community.

From products to “green” production chains

Research by Nielsen Vietnam shows that brands with “green” and “clean” commitments have a fairly high growth rate of about 4%/year. For example, in the food and beverage industry, the growth rate is 2.5-11.4% faster than the overall market. At the same time, sales of brands committed to prioritizing sustainability increased 4 times compared to competitors without this commitment.

Take the dairy industry as an example, which, according to Mr. QU Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), plays an important role in a sustainable food system and can contribute directly and indirectly to all sustainable development goals. Many manufacturing and trading enterprises have quickly invested in, shifted production, and supplied goods according to green, clean criteria, and transparent product information.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Tri - Marketing Executive Director of Vinamilk, a large enterprise in the industry, shared an example of Vinamilk Green Farm Fresh Milk product. Launched on the market right at the peak of the Covid-19 epidemic in 2021, this product still received positive reception from consumers. Vinamilk Green Farm is loved and highly appreciated by consumers not only for its quality, natural and pure flavor, but also because it is an environmentally friendly product, close to nature.

Not only through products, but sustainable factors are also promoted throughout the production process with Vinamilk Green Farm Ecological Farm built by Vinamilk. This model consists of 3 main pillars to guide sustainable development, including:Carefully select input,Regenerative Agriculture PracticesandApplying advanced technology to sustainable agriculture.

At the factories, Vinamilk Green Farm fresh milk products continue to ensure sustainability in the production process. Modern waste treatment systems with 100% of wastewater treated to standards before being released into the environment. Green energy systems such as Biomass, CNG, and solar energy are equipped to reduce carbon emissions, striving towards the goal of achieving zero net emissions by 2050.

Vinamilk currently has 3 Vinamilk Green Farm ecological farms in Tay Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Ngai with more than 20,000 dairy cows.

Every year, this company will have statistics and calculations on the consumption rate of resources, energy... or emissions in production or per product unit to have a specific roadmap to implement sustainable development goals.

Vinamilk Green Farm fresh milk factories strictly comply with regulations on food safety and environmental protection.

Vinamilk representative commented that the green and sustainable consumption trend will continue to grow strongly in the near future, when the young generation, GenZ, who have a high level of interest in sustainable development issues, will join the main consumer force.

The trash-for-gifts program is a collaboration between Vinamilk Green Farm and Vinhomes residents to encourage good habits to help protect the environment.

Sustainable development and the trend of consuming “green” products are popular trends in the world and Vietnam is no exception. Vinamilk does not stop at the story of ecological farms and Vinamilk Green Farm fresh milk products, we are also implementing and participating in activities to promote and spread green lifestyles, build awareness and habits of environmental protection to the community.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Tri - Marketing Executive Director of Vinamilk