When I first came to Vietnam, one of the biggest surprises for me was how sweet everything tasted. Sugar was everywhere – in the coffee, in the juices, even in dishes I thought were savory. It wasn’t just desserts or drinks. It was hidden in sauces, marinades, and soups.
I recently spoke with Jane Ha, a behavioral researcher from Hanoi who now lives in Saigon. She lives with diabetes, which made me think about Vietnam’s food culture in a completely new way. It also opened a wider conversation about health, consumer behavior, and culture in Vietnam today.
Living with Diabetes in a Sugar-Heavy Culture
Jane was diagnosed with diabetes at a young age. That’s rare in Vietnam, where people usually think of diabetes as something older people get. She told me that being diabetic in Vietnam meant she had to be very careful with her diet every single day.
I knew Vietnam had a sweet tooth, but I never realized how much sugar was added to everyday food until I spoke with her. For example, cơm tấm, one of my favorite southern dishes, is marinated in sweet sauces. Even drinks like orange juice or watermelon juice often come with extra spoonfuls of sugar. Coffee shops add sugar by default.
But she also pointed out something hopeful. In the last five years, things had started to change. Cafés, bubble tea chains, and delivery apps now often allow customers to choose the sugar level. You can order “no sugar” or “less sugar” options. It might sound small, but for someone like Jane, it meant she could join her colleagues for bubble tea after lunch without feeling left out.
Related Topic: How Culture and Sugar Shape Vietnam’s Dental Health with Dr Albert Le
Health-Conscious Consumerism
Jane works in behavioral research, so she sees trends before most of us. She explained that more people now pay attention to ingredients and labels. Supermarkets stock sugar-free or reduced-sugar products. Brands are starting to offer “better for you” alternatives.
One big driver is government policy. Vietnam is planning to introduce a sugar tax in the next few years, similar to what other countries already have. This will push companies to reduce sugar in their products or find alternatives.
I thought back to my home country of Scotland when they brought in a sugar tax. One famous example was Irn-Bru, a bright orange soft drink that outsold Coca-Cola. When the sugar tax arrived, the company had to reformulate the recipe. People hated the new version. They missed the original so much that cans of the old recipe were sold online for crazy prices. Eventually, the company brought back the “traditional” version at a higher price.
It made me wonder how Vietnam would respond. Will people accept new recipes with less sugar? Or will they pay more to keep the taste they grew up with?
There’s also a debate about substitutes. Many sugar-free drinks use artificial sweeteners like aspartame. But are these really healthier? Jane admitted that not all alternatives are good. Some may have long-term effects we don’t fully understand yet. The real change, she suggested, had to come from awareness and moderation, not just swapping one chemical for another.
How Vietnamese Consumers Think
Vietnamese consumers are famous for being price-sensitive. Discounts, vouchers, and free shipping are almost expected. When Grab first entered Vietnam, they offered free delivery. Now that people are used to it, many feel annoyed if they have to pay even a small fee.
But Jane explained something interesting. It’s not just about price anymore. It’s about value. People are becoming more cautious about quality, food safety, and convenience. They’re willing to pay a bit more if it means getting something trustworthy or faster.
That shift can be seen in how businesses boom and bust. Milk tea shops once opened on every corner. Then it was frozen yogurt. Now it’s cocktail bars. Everyone wants a slice of the trend, but not all survive. Consumers will move on quickly if they don’t see value.
What stood out to me most was Jane’s comment on loyalty. In her view, brand loyalty in Vietnam is almost non-existent. People switch brands or shops easily, especially if there’s a cheaper or newer option. That makes Vietnam a tough but exciting market for any business.
Gen Z and the New Lifestyle
We also talked about younger generations, especially Gen Z. They are changing habits in big ways.
One striking example is alcohol. Beer has always been popular in Vietnam. But stricter drunk-driving laws and changing tastes mean young people now drink less beer. Instead, cocktail bars are opening everywhere.
At first, I couldn’t understand it. Cocktails are expensive compared to beer. How could young people with lower incomes afford them? Jane’s answer was simple: they don’t drink a lot, but they treat themselves. It’s about image, experience, and social rituals.
It reminded me of milk tea culture. Young people often order bubble tea with two or more toppings, customizing it to make it unique. It’s not just a drink – it’s part of their identity and social life.
For Gen Z, even small luxuries like a fancy cocktail or a bubble tea become a way to enjoy life, show personality, and connect with friends.
Cultural Differences: Hanoi, Saigon, and Abroad
One of the lighter but fascinating parts of our talk was about food culture across Vietnam. To oversimplify: Hanoi is salty, Central Vietnam is spicy, and Saigon is sweet.
Jane grew up in Hanoi but lives in Saigon now. She told me that colleagues from the South often find northern food “too bland,” while northerners think southern food is “too sweet.” I had seen this myself when a northern friend couldn’t even eat southern hotpot because it was overloaded with sugar.
But Jane’s perspective goes beyond food. She studied in the US and UK, which exposed her to completely different cultures. In Oklahoma, she was often the only Asian person around, and she faced culture shock and even racism. In the UK, she experienced what it felt like to be a minority.
Coming back to Vietnam, she felt like she carried both East and West inside her. That’s why she fell in love with Saigon. For her, Saigon was a melting pot – a city big enough and diverse enough to let her be all versions of herself without judgment.
Final Thoughts
Vietnam is still a sugar-obsessed country, but awareness is growing. Consumers are becoming smarter, more value-conscious, and more demanding of personalization. Gen Z is shaping new lifestyles, from cocktails to bubble tea. And cities like Saigon are showing how East and West, tradition and modernity, can come together.