Les produits de terroir vietnamiens : points de vue des consommateurs locaux

The concept of origin-linked product is familiar to Vietnamese urban consumers: in a survey conducted in 2005,Vietnamese urban consumers were able to quote 265 Vietnamese origin- linked products, mainly fresh ones (fruits and vegetables). These products are valued for their sanitary quality and their cultural and historical meaning. Current debates on geographical indication suggest using the reputation of the origin-linked products among local consumers as an evidence of a specific link between products and geographical origins. Nevertheless this approach raises some problems, quality being a social construction. Increasing the role of consumers in defining this quality might weaken the role of producers and the possibility to use the geographical indication as a development tool.