Hanoi (VNS/VNA) -Inventory has become a common concern of domestic enterprises due to the impactof the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent survey conducted bythe General Statistics Office showed 57.7 percent of enterprises affected bythe pandemic said their consumption market had decreased sharply.

The shrinking consumer marketis a top concern of most businesses at the moment.

Enterprises are not onlygreatly affected by the shrinking domestic market, but their goods also cannotbe exported.

Purchasing power after thepandemic has improved but is still at a modest level, which makes inventory ofmany businesses still very large.

To improve purchasing power,free inventory, and stimulate domestic consumption, HCM City has launchedpromotional activities lasting two months.

Pham Thanh Kien, Director ofthe municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said the highlight of theprogramme was the combination of the two traditional shopping channels ande-commerce.

To help businesses expandconsumption markets, the city will hold a programme to connect the city and otherprovinces in September.

The programme aims to formsupply chains from production to consumption and delivery, bringing the city’sgoods into distribution systems of other provinces and vice versa.

In terms of businesses in thefood industry, Luong Dang Son, Director of SagoFood Food JSC, said the pandemichad a great impact on the consumption of goods.

In addition, consumers had alsochanged their habits as they spent more time at home, he told Tap chi Taichinh (Finance) online newspaper.

To improve purchasing power ofconsumers and stop the market narrowing, Son said his company was focusing ononline trading.

The company had connected withmore than 2,000 online shopping points to attract customers, he added.

Dinh Minh Tam, Deputy Directorof Co May Import Export Company in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, saidthe company was facing difficulties in finding markets to exportits tra fish (pangasius).

This meant the company wasfocusing on selling in the domestic market, he said. 

“In order to target domesticconsumers, we are approaching distribution systems in big cities like HCM Cityand Hanoi to activate domestic consumption for our products to solvedifficulties in exports,” he added.

Meanwhile, experts advisedbusinesses to re-organise distribution systems.

They also noted the need to setup a production and distribution chain going straight from production toconsumption in key markets, especially in big cities and densely-populatedareas./.