Distributing a product

Market shares

Markets and small retailers are popular canals of distribution in Vietnam. But today the supermarkets network is increasingly open and have the confidence of consumers with regards to the quality and the availability of goods. The leading supermarkets in Vietnam are Saigon Coop, Maxi Max, Big C, Metro Cash and Carry.

Organizations in the retail sector

Vietnam distribution association

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of OECD
Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal
Party to the Montreal protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
Wassenaar arrangement on export controls for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Party of the International coffee agreement 2001

International economic cooperation

Asia - Pacific Economic Cooperation - APEC

Association of Southest Asian Nations - ASEAN, AFTA and the ASEAN - China Free Trade Area.

The country have signed a trade agreement with 21 other countries in the São Paulo Round of the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP).

Non tariff barriers

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Customs duties and taxes on imports

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Customs classification

The classification of import and export goods must be based on:
- Vietnam ’s Classification List of Import and Export Goods; Preferential Import Tariff Nomenclature; Export Tariff Nomenclature;
- Six (6) general rules of HS Convention;
- Obligatory explanatory notes of HS Convention;
- Making references to supplementary explanatory notes of ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature and detailed explanatory notes of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS).

Import procedures

When carrying out customs procedures for importing goods, the customs declarers must submit and present a customs dossier at the headquarters of Customs Sub-branch and be responsible for legality and lawfulness of customs dossiers and accurateness of declared contents on customs declaration form. Click here for more information.

Importing samples

Consulting the procedure.

For further information

General Department of Vietnam Customs
ITPC
Vasep
Vietfood
VSA

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

The principle means of transportation of goods are lorry, then train, boat and plane.

Ports

Ben Nghe Port
Cam Ranh Port
Hai Phong

Airports

Tan Son Nhat International Airport
Noi Bai International Airport

Sea transport organizations

Vietnam Seaports Association

Air transport organizations

Southern Airport Corporation

Road transport organizations

Vietnam Road Administration

Rail transport organizations

Vietnam Railways

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate.

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

Industry contributes to about 40% of the Vietnamese GDP. Vietnam has a competitive advantage regarding labor costs, and natural resources. The main sectors of productions are: Rice, Food processing, Garment and Textile, Crude Oil, Cigarettes and Tobacco, Chemicals and Electrical goods. As a result of several land reform measures, Vietnam is now the largest producer of cashew nuts with the-third of global market share and second largest rice exporter in the world after Thailand. Vietnam has the highest percent of land use for permanent crops, 6.93%, of any nation in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Besides rice, key exports are coffee, tea, rubber, and fishery products.

Business directories

Vietnam Yellow Pages
Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency
Vietnam Information Guide

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

Vietnam Association Seafood Expporters and Producers
Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group
Vietnam Rubber Association
Vietnam Textile Trading

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Enterprises federation

The Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises

Standards

National standards organizations

QUACERT
TCVN
QUATEST 3

Integration in the international standards network

The Directorate for Standards and Quality (STAMEQ) is member of the International Standardization Organization (ISO), the International Electronical Commission (IEC), International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML), the Asian Pacific Metrology Program (APMP), the Asian Pacific Quality Organization (APQO), Asean Consultative Committee for Standards and Quality (ACCSQ), the Asian Pacific Economy Cooperation - Sub Committee for Standards Conformance (APEC -SCSC), the Asian Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF), the Asia-Europe Meeting / Trade Facilitation Action Plan / Standards and Conformity Assessment (ASEM/TFAP/SCA).

Classification of standards

Vietnam national standards are the TCVN.

Online consultation of standards

Standards can be consulted on the STAMEQ website.

Certification organizations

QUACERT
QUATEST 3

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products.

Intellectual Property

National organizations

The National Office of Intellectual Property.

Regional organizations

Intellectual Property Rights Experts Group (IPEG), Intellectual Property Resource of each member economy of the APEC Community.

International membership

Member of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Signatory to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property
Membership to the TRIPS agreement - Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)