Mr. Tezuka Daisuke, a board member and Chief Representative of Aeon Group in Vietnam, as well as General Director of Aeon Vietnam, stated that global economic fluctuations, ranging from geopolitical tensions to rising fuel prices, are directly impacting consumer sentiment.

According to Aeon's observations, from mid-March to early April this year, the average number of products in customer shopping carts decreased by about 2% - 3% compared to the same period last year. Consumers tended to cut back on non-essential expenditures. Understanding this trend, the company implemented a price support program called "Accompanying Price Reduction - Shop with Peace of Mind" (Gia giam dong hanh - An tam tiet kiem), aiming to provide essential goods at affordable prices to help consumers maintain reasonable spending levels.

"Since April, the number of products per shopping cart has returned to levels not lower than last year. Concurrently, an increase in customer numbers is helping revenue return to a growth trajectory," Mr. Tezuka Daisuke shared.

Despite short-term market volatility, the Aeon leader believes Vietnam's retail sector retains substantial growth potential. The company noted that modern retail revenue currently accounts for only about 15% of the total market, significantly lower than approximately 50% in Malaysia. This indicates considerable potential for development and modernization.

Mr. Tezuka Daisuke emphasized that a decline in revenue or profit is not the biggest pressure the brand faces. Instead, Aeon Vietnam's primary concern in the first Quarter of this year was ensuring customers could shop with confidence amidst a "price storm." This approach has been Aeon Japan's consistent business philosophy in Vietnam since its entry into the market.

Furthermore, personal consumption contributes approximately 53% of the GDP. Therefore, stimulating consumer demand not only fosters economic growth but also creates jobs and attracts investment. Aeon anticipates that its expanded operations in Vietnam will contribute to achieving this goal.

"Vietnam continues to be one of Aeon's key markets. We believe that with ongoing infrastructure development, urbanization, and the expansion of the middle class, consumer demand will continue to grow in the long term," Mr. Tezuka Daisuke said.

After nearly 15 years of operation in Vietnam, Aeon has built an ecosystem comprising 11 member companies, active in various sectors such as retail, shopping malls, Ministop convenience stores, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, Tsuruha pharmacy chains, cinemas, entertainment areas, and consumer finance. Expanding into diverse areas allows the company to meet a wide range of customer needs. By the end of 2025, the group aims to have over 3.8 million member customers, with more than 300 sales points nationwide, and revenue increased by 2.5 times compared to previous levels.

Aeon is not only focusing on major cities but also extending its network to provinces such as Hue and Hai Phong, gradually developing a multi-format retail ecosystem. Mr. Tezuka Daisuke stated that the past five years have been a period of accelerated growth for the group in both scale and geographical reach, establishing a foundation for further ecosystem expansion in the coming period.

In the second half of this year, Aeon plans to open additional facilities in Hai Duong, Ha Long, and Thanh Hoa. The company is also boosting its e-commerce segment, which grew by about 30% last year, setting a target of 150% growth for e-commerce.

Under its mid-term business plan, Aeon expects its ecosystem in Vietnam to exceed 300 billion JPY (over 2 billion USD) by 2030, corresponding to an average annual growth rate of approximately 25%.

Hai My