The return to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic also brings back long commutes and hectic workdays for consumers, who increasingly seek food & drinks in convenient and easy to use formats. Furthermore, growing eco-conscious consumerism is spurring opportunities for brands to use innovative packaging, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Meenakshi Haran, Lead Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Brands need to ensure that their products and packaging meet consumers expectations of convenience, making them portable and lightweight, important considerations for consumption out-of-home and on the go, with the added challenge of balancing consumer inclination to make eco-friendly choices. As many as 43% of Vietnamese consumers admit that they find convenience to be an essential feature influencing purchase decision, while 32% indicate recyclable packaging to be essential for them*.”

Tim Hill, Key Account Director, SE Asia, GlobalData, adds: “Consumers are increasingly trying to fit more activities into their busy schedules in an effort to balance their work and social lives, spurring more on-the-go consumption occasions. Therefore, these consumers increasingly seek products that align well with time constraints, as concurred by 68% of Vietnamese respondents^*.

“Sustainability is focussed around multiple facets of a product, including ingredients, packaging, production process, and supply chain. There is strong intent among consumers to buy more products from brands that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, fueled by growing awareness of the environmental impact of their choices thanks to social media and the popularity of environmental activists.”

Haran continues: “Brands face the risk of losing customer loyalty by not taking measures towards making their products and packaging more eco-friendly, as customers do not shy away from boycotting brands that do not align with their preferences. Vietnamese consumers are overwhelmingly in favor of brands committing to sustainability, as concurred by 85% of respondents who claim they are loyal to brands that promote environmental initiatives^#.

“Brands are taking action to appeal to evolving consumer preferences and making changes to their products and packaging. Nutifood, for instance, is a Vietnam-based dairy company that recently announced that it would launch its adult nutrition milk line in SIG DomeMini carton bottles, touted as on-the-go innovation for ready-to-drink (RTD) products. Reported to be the first brand to use this new packaging in Southeast Asia, the switch to a bottle-shaped carton claims to be distinctive as well as more sustainable compared to plastic bottles, while also being convenient and easy to use for on-the-go and out-of-home consumption.”

Hill concludes: “As consumer lifestyles change, so do the consumption habits of when and where they consume food & drinks. Millennials and Gen X consumers are reported to be more concerned about hectic lifestyles and balancing work-personal activities, therefore choosing or considering products that align with their requirements, as affirmed by 72% of Millennials and 68% of Gen X respondents that they are always/often influenced by how well a product aligns with their time constraints*.”

^#GlobalData 2023 Q2 Consumer Survey – Vietnam, published in August 2023, 500 respondents

*GlobalData 2023 Q4 Consumer Survey – Vietnam, published in December 2023, 500 respondents