66% of respondents feel skeptical about the quality of the fish sauce brand they are using

1. STUDY ABOUT FISH SAUCE USAGE IN
VIETNAM
BY DI-MARKETING (www.di-onlinesurvey.com)
November, 2016

2. 1
SCOPE OF WORK
 This survey was conducted to study about consumer behavior toward fish
sauce usage in Vietnam
 Methodology: Online survey
 Fieldwork time: 4 days (28/10/2016 to 31/10/2016)
 Sample size: N = 1093
• Female
• Go to market/super market as last once/week
• Decision maker
 Geography: Nationwide

3. 2
KEY FINDINGS
• Nam Ngư and Chin Su are used the most across Vietnam
• Vietnamese are using traditional fish sauce the most
• Overall, 66% of respondents feel skeptical about the fish sauce brand they are using, while 5% have no trust at all
• A majority of respondents (69%) are afraid of arsenic in fish sauce
• People are aware of fish sauce problem through TV, online and traditional newspaper the most
• People trust information from TV the most & their shopping place the least
• Almost all respondents verified information on fish sauce issues, and TV is the most common channel used
• 64% of respondents will use less fish sauce, 20% stop using completely, and 7% switch to another type of fish sauce
due to the fish sauce issues
• Most respondents across Vietnam thinks traditional fish sauce is better
• Nam Ngư, Chin Su, Thái Long and Đê Nhất are recognized as industrial fish sauce the most
• Both industrial and traditional fish sauce users recognize Nam Ngư, Chin Su, Thái Long and Đệ Nhất as industrially-
made fish sauce
• Phú Quốc, Cát Hải and 584 Nha Trang are recognized as traditional fish sauce the most
• Both traditional fish sauce and industrial fish sauce users choose Phú Quốc, Cát Hải and 584 Nha Trang are
traditionally-made fish sauce brands
• 66% of respondents intend to switch to traditional fish sauce
• 55% of respondents think that non-arsenic-contained fish sauce will be good for consumers’ health
• 42% are willing to buy fish sauce brand that is advertised as non-arsenic
• 42% traditional and 45% industrial fish sauce users intend to use product that contains no arsenic

4. 3
N = 1093
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
GenderAge
OccupationLiving Place
8%
2%
5%
6%
6%
10%
12%
52%
Others
Job seeker/Retired
Housewife
Self-employed
Factory Worker
Engineer/Doctor/Teacher
Student
Officer
3%
6%
27%
29%
35%
Over 40
36~40
30~35
27~29
23~26
22%
39%
39%
Khác
Hà Nội
Hồ Chí Minh
100%Female

5. 4
Nam Ngư and Chin Su are used the most across Vietnam
Which brand of fish sauce are you using the most?
N = 1093 N = 426 N = 428 N = 239
8%
2%
2%
2%
2%
4%
4%
10%
10%
19%
37%
Others
584 Nha Trang
Hạnh Phúc
Hưng Thịnh
Liên Thành
Cát Hải
Đệ Nhất
Phú Quốc
Thái Long
Chin Su
Nam Ngư
Total
7%
2%
2%
0%
0%
5%
5%
7%
18%
21%
33%
Hà Nội
9%
2%
3%
4%
5%
2%
5%
11%
5%
15%
38%
Hồ Chí Minh
5%
1%
0%
1%
0%
5%
3%
12%
5%
24%
44%
Others
Hanoians prefer Thái Long fish sauce, while Saigoneses and people from other cities use Phú
Quốc more

6. 5
Vietnamese are using traditional fish sauce the most
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using? (Traditionally-made or industrially-made)
N = 1093 N = 426 N = 428 N = 239
8% 9%
6% 8%
55% 54% 58% 53%
37% 37% 36% 39%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Hà Nội Hồ Chí Minh Others
Industrial fish sauce
Traditional fish sauce
I can't distinguish

7. 6
Overall, 66% feel skeptical about the fish sauce brand they are using,
while 5% have no trust at all
How do trust the fish sauce brand you are using?
N = 1093 N = 426 N = 428 N = 239
Hanoians are more skeptical than Saigoneses
Traditional fish sauce users trust their brand more than industrial fish sauce users
5% 7%
3%
6%
66%
76%
56%
67%
29%
17%
42%
27%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Hà Nội Hồ Chí Minh Others
Completely
trustworthy
A little skeptical
Completely
untrustworthy
5%
2%
7%
22%
66%
61%
75%
63%
29%
37%
18% 16%
Total Traditional Industrial I can't distinguish
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using?
N = 603 N = 407 N = 83N = 1093

8. 7
A majority of respondents (69%) are afraid of arsenic in fish sauce
What make you skeptical about the fish sauce brand you are using?
N = 781 N = 357 N = 249 N = 175
In Ha Noi, people mostly care of the arsenic in fish sauce,
while in Ho Chi Minh, fish sauce not made from fish scared people significantly
1%
23%
26%
34%
43%
69%
Others
Fish-sauce has insufficient
protein
Fish-sauce production
hygiene is bad
Fish-sauce is not made from
fish
Fish-sauce made from
chemicals
Fish-sauce contains arsen
Total
0%
13%
23%
26%
39%
77%
Hà Nội
2%
39%
31%
44%
49%
53%
Hồ Chí Minh
3%
21%
26%
35%
43%
78%
Others

9. 8
A majority of respondents (69%) are afraid of arsenic in fish sauce
What make you skeptical about the fish sauce brand you are using?
N = 781 N = 377 N = 334
Traditional fish sauce users care more about arsenic level in fish sauce
1%
23%
26%
34%
43%
69%
Others
Fish-sauce has insufficient
protein
Fish-sauce production hygiene
is bad
Fish-sauce is not made from
fish
Fish-sauce made from
chemicals
Fish-sauce contains asen
Total
1%
15%
16%
18%
29%
72%
Traditional fish
sauce
1%
34%
31%
51%
57%
67%
Industrial fish
sauce
4%
14%
56%
39%
53%
66%
I can’t
distinguish
N = 70

10. 9
0%
4%
17%
26%
26%
30%
41%
43%
50%
Others
From my frequent shopping
place (market, apartment
store, super market)
From friends/relatives
From Vinatas
From online forums
From Facebook
From traditional newspaper
From online newspaper
From TV
Total
0%
4%
15%
22%
24%
27%
42%
42%
41%
Hà Nội
1%
6%
19%
29%
33%
37%
46%
46%
54%
Hồ Chí Minh
0%
3%
17%
30%
23%
28%
33%
39%
61%
Others
People are aware of fish sauce problem through TV, online and traditional
newspaper the most
From which source do you get information on fish sauce problems?
N = 781 N = 357 N = 249 N = 175

11. 10
People trust information from TV the most & their shopping place the least
In which source do you trust the most?
N = 781 N = 357 N = 249 N = 175
0%
0%
1%
7%
7%
15%
18%
20%
32%
Others
From my frequent shopping
place (market, apartment
store, super market)
From friends/relatives
From online forums
From Facebook
From traditional newspaper
From Vinatas
From online newspaper
From TV
Total
0%
1%
1%
7%
6%
19%
19%
22%
25%
Hà Nội
0%
0%
2%
6%
9%
12%
16%
19%
36%
Hồ Chí Minh
0%
0%
0%
7%
6%
10%
20%
16%
40%
Others

12. 11
Almost all respondents verified information on fish sauce issues,
and TV is the most common channel used
Do you verify the information on fish sauce issues? If you do, then through which channel/source?
Outside Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh, information verification mostly comes from friends and
relatives, and the rate of complete trust is also higher here
N = 781 N = 357 N = 249 N = 175
1%
10%
14%
16%
17%
18%
23%
No, I think the information is
reasonable and correct
Yes, from Facebook
Yes, from Vinatas
Yes, from online
newspaper/forums
Yes, from friends/relatives
Yes, from traditional
newspaper/magazines
Yes, from TV
Total
1%
12%
13%
16%
13%
20%
25%
Hà Nội
1%
9%
14%
19%
15%
16%
25%
Hồ Chí Minh
3%
6%
16%
12%
29%
18%
16%
Others

13. 12
64% of respondents will use less fish sauce, 20% stop using completely, and
7% switch to another type of fish sauce due to the fish sauce issues
What is your intention towards the type of fish sauce you are using after knowing the fish sauce issues?
7% 8% 7% 5%
20%
23%
19%
14%
64%
61%
61% 76%
9% 9%
13%
5%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Hà Nội Hồ Chí Minh Others
Still use normally
Still use, but less than
now
Stop using completely
Change to the other type
of fish sauce
N = 781 N = 357 N = 249 N = 175

14. 13
64% of respondents will use less fish sauce, 20% stop using completely, and
7% switch to another type of fish sauce
What is your intention towards the type of fish sauce you are using after knowing the fish sauce issues?
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using?
N = 781 N = 377 N = 334 N = 70
7% 5% 7%
17%
20% 22% 19%
11%
64% 63%
66% 63%
9% 11%
8% 9%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Traditional Industrial I can't distinguish
Still use normally
Still use, but less than
now
Stop using completely
Change to the other
type of fish sauce

15. 14
Which type of fish sauce do you think is better?
Both traditional and industrial fish sauce users think traditional fish sauce is better
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using?
4% 5% 2% 5%
17% 17% 21%
12%
79% 79% 76%
83%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Hà Nội Hồ Chí Minh Others
Traditional fish
sauce (made only
from fish, salt, and
water)
Industrial fish sauce
(made only from
water, salt, fish
essence, fish flavor,
and other additives)
I don't know/I have
no opinion
4% 1%
4%
24%17%
16%
21%
10%
79%
83%
75%
66%
Total Traditional Industrial I can't distinguish
Most respondents across Vietnam thinks traditional fish sauce is better
N = 781 N = 357 N = 249 N = 175 N = 781 N = 377 N = 334 N = 70

16. 15
Which brands are industrial fish sauce brand?
25% living in non-urban area can’t distinguish industrial fish sauce brand
Nam Ngư, Chin Su, Thái Long and Đê Nhất are recognized as industrial fish
sauce the most
18%
3%
3%
4%
4%
5%
7%
7%
8%
13%
17%
17%
30%
32%
41%
43%
I can't distinguish
584 Nha Trang
Cát Hải
Phú Quốc
Hạnh Phúc
Liên Thành
Hồng Hạnh
Thuận Phát
Hưng Thịnh
Long Đình
Ông Tây
Kabin
Đệ Nhất
Thái Long
Chin Su
Nam Ngư
Total
16%
3%
2%
4%
5%
5%
7%
7%
10%
14%
19%
15%
27%
35%
39%
39%
Hà Nội
16%
3%
5%
3%
3%
6%
7%
7%
6%
13%
13%
19%
32%
30%
49%
51%
Hồ Chí Minh
25%
4%
3%
3%
4%
4%
7%
6%
6%
13%
21%
17%
33%
31%
33%
36%
Others
N = 1093 N = 426 N = 428 N = 239

17. 16
Which brands are industrial fish sauce brand?
Industrial fish sauce users identify industrially fish sauce brand better than industrial fish sauce
users
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using?
Both industrial and traditional fish sauce users recognize Nam Ngư,
Chin Su, Thái Long and Đệ Nhất as industrially-made fish sauce
18%
3%
3%
4%
4%
5%
7%
7%
8%
13%
17%
17%
30%
32%
41%
43%
I can’t distinguish
584 Nha Trang
Cát Hải
Phú Quốc
Hạnh Phúc
Liên Thành
Hồng Hạnh
Thuận Phát
Hưng Thịnh
Long Đình
Ông Tây
Kabin
Đệ Nhất
Thái Long
Chin Su
Nam Ngư
Total
8%
2%
3%
3%
4%
6%
6%
7%
6%
13%
18%
19%
28%
29%
39%
41%
Traditional fish
sauce
22%
5%
4%
5%
5%
5%
8%
8%
11%
15%
19%
17%
37%
42%
51%
53%
Industrial fish
sauce
71%
2%
2%
4%
2%
4%
2%
2%
4%
6%
2%
6%
8%
4%
13%
12%
I can’t distinguish
N = 1093 N = 603 N = 407 N = 83

18. 17
Which brands are industrial fish sauce brand?
Phú Quốc, Cát Hải and 584 Nha Trang are recognized as traditional fish
sauce made the most
N = 1093 N = 426 N = 428 N = 239
17%
2%
2%
4%
7%
8%
10%
12%
12%
12%
12%
13%
14%
20%
20%
35%
I can't distinguish
Kabin
Ông Tây
Long Đình
Đệ Nhất
Hưng Thịnh
Thái Long
Chin Su
Hồng Hạnh
Thuận Phát
Liên Thành
Hạnh Phúc
Nam Ngư
584 Nha Trang
Cát Hải
Phú Quốc
Total
16%
2%
2%
4%
12%
5%
14%
14%
11%
14%
11%
12%
11%
15%
20%
29%
Hà Nội
16%
2%
4%
4%
3%
14%
9%
8%
17%
14%
19%
18%
12%
22%
18%
40%
Hồ Chí Minh
21%
2%
1%
3%
5%
4%
3%
15%
5%
5%
5%
6%
23%
23%
24%
38%
Others

19. 18
Which brands are industrial fish sauce brand?
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using? (Traditionally-made or industrially-made)
Both traditional fish sauce and industrial fish sauce users choose Phú Quốc,
Cát Hải and 584 Nha Trang are traditional made fish sauce brands
N = 1093 N = 603 N = 407 N = 83
17%
2%
2%
4%
7%
8%
10%
12%
12%
12%
12%
13%
14%
20%
20%
35%
I can’t distinguish
Kabin
Ông Tây
Long Đình
Đệ Nhất
Hưng Thịnh
Thái Long
Chin Su
Hồng Hạnh
Thuận Phát
Liên Thành
Hạnh Phúc
Nam Ngư
584 Nha Trang
Cát Hải
Phú Quốc
Total
4%
2%
2%
4%
9%
8%
15%
17%
11%
10%
14%
13%
23%
21%
18%
35%
Traditional fish
sauce
24%
2%
3%
3%
5%
9%
3%
6%
15%
17%
12%
14%
3%
21%
26%
41%
Industrial fish
sauce
71%
0%
4%
1%
6%
4%
2%
4%
4%
5%
4%
5%
4%
5%
4%
7%
I can’t distinguish

20. 19
What is your usage intention towards industrial fish sauce?
66% of respondents intend to switch to traditional fish sauce
34%
27%
32%
47%
66%
73%
68%
53%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Hà Nội Hồ Chí Minh Others
I will switch to traditional
fish sauce
I will still use industrial
fish sauce normally
N = 490* N = 197 N = 113N = 180
* The total number is less than original because this question just ask for those
who are using industrial fish sauce

21. 20
What is your usage intention towards industrial fish sauce?
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using? (Traditionally-made or industrially-made)
66% of respondents intend to switch to traditional fish sauce
34% 36%
23%
66% 64%
77%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Industrial fish sauce I don't know
I will switch to traditional
fish sauce
I will still use industrial
fish sauce normally
N = 490* N = 407 N = 83
* The total number is less than original because this question just ask for those
who are using industrial fish sauce

22. 21
If there were a fish sauce brand that advertise their product contain no arsen, what do you think?
55% of respondents think that non-arsenic-contained fish sauce will be good
for consumers’ health
25% 26%
22%
30%
20%
21%
17%
24%
55% 53%
62%
46%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Hà Nội Hồ Chí Minh Others
Good product, good for
consumers' health
I have no opinion
Just an advertisement,
nothing different from other
products
N = 1093 N = 426 N = 428 N = 239

23. 22
If there were a fish sauce brand that advertise their product contain no arsen, what do you think?
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using? (Traditionally-made or industrially-made)
55% of respondents think that non-arsenic-contained fish sauce will be good
for consumers’ health
N = 1093 N = 603 N = 407 N = 83
25%
19%
32%
39%
20%
19%
20%
29%
55%
62%
48%
33%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Traditional fish sauce Industrial fish sauce I can't distinguish
Good product, good for
consumers' health
I have no opinion
Just an advertisement,
nothing different from other
products

24. 23
What is your usage intention towards a brand of fish sauce that contains no arsen?
42% are willing to buy fish sauce brand that is advertised as non-arsenic
42% 39%
50%
33%
52%
53%
45%
60%
6% 8% 5% 7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Hà Nội Hồ Chí Minh Others
Will not use this product
May or may not use this
product
Will use this product
N = 1093 N = 426 N = 428 N = 239

25. 24
What is your usage intention towards a brand of fish sauce that contains no arsen?
What is the type of the fish sauce brand you are using? (Traditionally-made or industrially-made)
42% traditional and 45% industrial fish sauce users intend to use product
that contains no arsenic
N = 1093 N = 603 N = 407 N = 83
42% 42% 45%
24%
52% 53% 46%
66%
6% 5%
8% 10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Traditional fish sauce Industrial fish sauce I can't distinguish
Will not use this product
May or may not use this
product
Will use this product

26. 25
CONTACT US
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o Address: 3 Chome-2-6 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo 100-0013, Japan
o Contact person: Mr. Hideyuki Kato (CEO)
o Email: hideyuki.kato@di-mktg.com
o Contact number: +81 3-5532-3200
• Vietnam:
o Address: 9-15, Vincom center, 45A Ly Tu Trong, Ben Nghe ward, District 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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Bangkok 10110, Thailand
o Contact person: Ms. Pimparima Piriyametha (Business Analyst - DI Marketing)
o Email: pimparima.p@di-mktg.com
o Contact number: +66 96 245 3656

27. 26
CONTACT US
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o Contact number: +65 9127 7654

28. 27