Combating counterfeit goods during the year-end season:

To effectively prevent counterfeit goods, imitation products, food of unknown origin, unsafe food, and other fraudulent commercial practices, the Hanoi City Market Management Force has intensified market inspections and controls to protect consumer rights and the reputation of Vietnamese businesses.

Strengthening market inspection and control to protect consumer rights and the reputation of Vietnamese businesses is a key task for the Hanoi Market Management Department in the latter half of 2025.

Violations remain a complex issue.

According to the Hanoi City Steering Committee 389, in recent times, functional forces have detected and handled many violations of the law. However, smuggling, trade fraud, production and sale of counterfeit goods, goods infringing intellectual property rights, trading of expired goods, goods of unknown origin, smuggled goods, and goods without invoices or documents remain complex issues; especially in the context of a sharp increase in consumer demand during holidays and the Lunar New Year. In particular, the risk of food of unknown origin infiltrating the market is very high, not only posing a potential safety risk but also directly affecting consumer health.

For example, on December 17th, during an inspection of a food business located at 76A De Quai Street - Tu Lien (Hong Ha Ward), Market Management Team No. 2 (Hanoi City Market Management Department) discovered 50kg of various types of gummy candies of unknown origin. The total value of the infringing goods, according to the listed price, was 7.5 million VND.

Previously, on December 12th, during an inspection of a food business at 94A An Duong Street (Hong Ha Ward), Market Management Team No. 2 also discovered that the establishment was selling 56kg of various types of preserved fruits without invoices proving their origin. The total value of the infringing goods was 9.25 million VND. The inspection team drew up an administrative violation report and temporarily seized all the infringing goods for further processing according to regulations.

In addition, market management teams also coordinated with functional forces in communes and wards throughout the city to inspect and detect many cases of trading goods with signs of counterfeiting. For example, on December 16th, Market Management Team No. 17, in coordination with the Phuong Liet Ward Police (Hanoi City Police), inspected a business located at 192/56 Le Trong Tan Street and discovered that it was trading 1,710 clothing and footwear products... with signs of counterfeiting famous brands registered and protected in Vietnam; the total value of the goods, according to the listed prices at the establishment, was 598.9 million VND.

According to Deputy Head of the Hanoi Market Management Department, Duong Manh Hung, as of December 15th, the Department had inspected 5,104 cases, handled 4,778 violations, of which 83 cases were transferred to the police for investigation. The total amount collected for the state budget was 103.2 billion VND, reaching 143% of the assigned target. This result reflects the correct direction in management and direction, focusing on targeted inspections, prioritizing large, complex cases with high social impact.

Proactive measures to protect the market.

Team No. 2 of the Market Management Department (Hanoi Market Management Sub-department) discovered and seized many goods of unknown origin and not meeting food safety standards.

According to the Hanoi City Steering Committee 389, a prominent trend in 2025 is the rapid increase in violations in the e-commerce environment, with increasingly sophisticated methods such as selling counterfeit goods through livestreaming, using fake accounts, concealing warehouses, and exploiting express delivery services to distribute goods. The perpetrators often import, process, package, and label goods with famous domestic and international brands, even counterfeiting packaging and anti-counterfeiting labels very skillfully, making them difficult to distinguish from genuine products.

According to Deputy Head of the Hanoi Market Management Department, Duong Manh Hung, this reality highlights the urgent need to improve professional capacity in monitoring and inspecting business activities in the digital environment, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and perfect the legal framework for e-commerce and delivery services.

According to Colonel Thanh Kien Trung, Deputy Head of the Economic Police Department (Hanoi City Police), during the end of the year, criminals increasingly exploit e-commerce platforms (Shopee, Lazada, Tiki...), social networks (Facebook, Zalo...) combined with express delivery services to advertise, sell, and transport illegal goods. This situation not only directly endangers people's health and property but also distorts the business environment, affects the reputation of legitimate businesses, and undermines market confidence.

As the year-end holidays approach, Hanoi city has identified the urgent task of strictly controlling and severely punishing violations. According to Trinh Quang Duc, Head of the Hanoi Market Management Department, market management teams are intensifying inspections and controls, focusing on key business entities, particularly those involved in organized stockpiling and transporting prohibited goods, smuggled goods, and commercial fraud.

Essential consumer goods, such as cigarettes, firecrackers, food, confectionery, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, dietary supplements, and cosmetics, are expected to experience increased demand during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year). Authorities will focus their control efforts on these items. Areas of particular interest include markets, shopping malls, supermarkets, distributors, e-commerce platforms, social media sites (Facebook, Zalo, TikTok, etc.), transportation hubs, goods collection points, and key transportation routes. Simultaneously, authorities will proactively monitor the situation, identify new methods and tactics used in smuggling, illegal transportation of goods, commercial fraud, and counterfeiting. Specifically, they will clearly define the responsibilities of central and local agencies and units in managing, inspecting, and controlling these activities according to their respective sectors and geographical areas.

"The fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods is a long and arduous one, but Hanoi remains steadfast in its goal of building a transparent, fair, and civilized business environment," Mr. Trinh Quang Duc affirmed.

Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, Nguyen Kieu Oanh:

Unannounced inspections of goods sold during the Lunar New Year holiday.

In its role as the Standing Agency of the City's 389 Steering Committee, the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade has advised on the issuance of numerous directives and urged units to closely monitor the supply and demand of goods, especially essential items at risk of sudden price increases; and requested market management forces to intensify surprise inspections, focusing on goods for consumption during the Tet holiday.

During the course of their duties, Hanoi's market management forces discovered and handled many serious cases that caused public outrage, especially in the areas of food safety and intellectual property infringement. Notable examples include: the discovery of over 30,000 counterfeit perfumes and cosmetics bearing famous brand names (in Hoan Kiem ward); the seizure of over 35,000 counterfeit sportswear sets worth over 6.6 billion VND (in Tu Liem ward); large-scale smuggling of frozen food; and cases of counterfeit mineral water. The management forces transferred 83 cases to the investigative agency.

Nguyen Thi Bich Van, Director of Communications for Central Retail Group:

Ensure that goods have a clear origin and source.

As one of the largest supermarket chains in the country, Central Retail boasts that 90% of the products in its supermarkets are high-quality Vietnamese goods. Since mid-year, we have coordinated with major suppliers regarding the quantity of goods needed for Tet (Lunar New Year). Along with boosting service quality for customers during the traditional Tet holiday, Central Retail places special emphasis on ensuring food safety and hygiene. We cooperate with local Departments of Industry and Trade to strengthen control, especially for fresh food, ensuring high-quality goods at competitive prices, adhering to the "Responsible Green Tick" program; and guaranteeing goods with clear origins and traceability... all aimed at providing customers with a safe and warm Tet holiday.

From bottled and canned beverages to various food products, everything is strictly controlled by the relevant authorities. These measures help Central Retail ensure a plentiful supply of high-quality goods at reasonable prices, meeting consumer demand during the Tet holiday.

Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Lan, owner of a confectionery and consumer goods store (Hai Ba Trung ward):

You should choose genuine products, paying attention to labels and expiration dates.

As the year draws to a close, especially during the Lunar New Year, consumer demand for food increases sharply, particularly for confectionery, preserved fruits, and jams. Therefore, the risk of food products of unknown origin and provenance infiltrating the market is very high, especially on online platforms and at small retail outlets. Selling products that do not meet legal requirements and lack invoices and documentation proving their origin not only poses a risk to food safety but also directly impacts consumer health.

Therefore, we advise consumers to choose confectionery, preserved fruits, and jams for Tet (Lunar New Year) from reputable establishments, supermarkets, and official stores, paying attention to clear labels and expiration dates. At the same time, consumers should be cautious of products advertised at low prices on e-commerce platforms to avoid being scammed and, above all, to protect their own and their family's health during the Tet season.

Quang Minh wrote

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/chong-hang-gia-dip-cuoi-nam-kiem-soat-chat-thi-truong-xu-ly-nghiem-vi-pham-728482.html