Prevent counterfeit goods, protect consumer rights

Market Management Force inspects a cosmetics store

In recent times, the authorities have made great efforts in the fight against counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement, but consumer rights are still being continuously violated. Therefore, to prevent and gradually push back this problem, it is necessary to have strong and synchronous participation of relevant authorities, especially raising awareness of businesses in protecting their brands.

Mr. Le Cong Phuoc - Deputy Director of the Market Management Department of Tay Ninh said that the inspection and management of the area showed that currently, fake, counterfeit and poor quality goods are present in many segments of the market, from grocery stores in remote markets to the streets of urban areas, with diverse designs, flexible prices and rich varieties. In addition to causing economic losses to producers, they also seriously affect the health of consumers.

Business activities with commercial fraud still occur in the province, counterfeit goods, poor quality goods, imitation goods of famous brands such as: Adidas, Gucci, Chanel, Boss...

In reality, the production and trade of counterfeit goods is becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated; the most counterfeited products are still consumer goods.

Market Management Team 2 inspected the Bao Boi House business household, represented by Ms. Ngo Thi Diem Trang, in Thanh Dien commune, Chau Thanh district. During the inspection, Ms. Ngo Thi Diem Trang admitted to the violation of trading in goods of unknown origin and origin; counterfeiting trademarks.

On March 1, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee issued a decision to administratively fine the Bao Boi House business household represented by Ms. Ngo Thi Diem Trang 70 million VND and forced the destruction of the infringing exhibits, which were 18 fake Chanel women's coats, 18 fake Gucci women's coats, 165 fake Adidas women's pants including: 45 shorts, 25 long pants, 95 short pants.

In addition, Market Management Team No. 1 (Trang Bang town) has assigned civil servants to strengthen local management, promptly detect and handle violations in trading goods of unknown origin, counterfeit goods, and smuggled cigarettes.

On July 4, 2023, Market Management Team No. 1 coordinated with functional forces to conduct a surprise inspection of a business household and discovered that the business household Le Quang Khuong, represented by Mr. Le Quang Khuong, in Giua Hamlet, Hiep Thanh Commune, Go Dau District, was trading in smuggled cigarettes. The exhibits were 163 packs of smuggled cigarettes of various types. This business household traded in domestic cigarettes with signs of counterfeiting domestic cigarette brands that are protected in Vietnam. The exhibits included 20-cigarette/pack cigarettes, including the Saigon Silver brand, in quantity of 25 packs.

Next, Market Management Team No. 1 inspected and discovered that the Viet Trinh grocery business, represented by Ms. Nguyen Thi Ca, in Bau Tep Hamlet, Tien Thuan Commune, Ben Cau District, was trading in smuggled cigarettes. The exhibits were 148 packs of smuggled cigarettes of various types. This business traded in domestic cigarettes with signs of counterfeiting domestic cigarette brands that are protected in Vietnam. The exhibits included 84 packs of cigarettes of various types, 20 cigarettes/pack, including 30 packs of Saigon Silver brand; 28 packs of Craven Demi brand; 26 packs of Craven Classic brand.

Market Management Team No. 1 said that through contacting the representative unit of the trademark protection rights owner of Saigon Tobacco Company to confirm the counterfeit goods, it was concluded that all of the above cigarettes were counterfeit goods of protected trademarks in Vietnam. The unit drew up a record of administrative violations and submitted to the Tay Ninh Market Management Department to issue a decision to fine the two above-mentioned businesses with a fine of 39.3 million VND and force the destruction of all cigarettes.

All counterfeit products are very sophisticated, beautiful, and cheap. This greatly affects the reputation and real value of genuine branded products.

Mr. To Hoang Nhon - Head of Anti-smuggling Department, Customs Department said that counterfeit goods are quite common in the market. Counterfeit goods affect the health, even the lives of consumers, especially counterfeit goods of food, medicine, functional food; counterfeit goods prevent domestic production facilities from developing; affect economic security, and investment calling activities of the state.

Surveying some markets and shops in Hoa Thanh town, Chau Thanh district, many shoes, handbags of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Adidas brands are sold openly at surprisingly cheap prices, only from 100,000 VND - 300,000 VND. And the shop owners also did not hesitate to say that these are all fake products of famous brands.

Mr. Le Cong Phuoc added that to minimize the situation of counterfeit goods, counterfeit goods, affecting the interests of businesses and consumers, the Market Management Department directed its affiliated units to strengthen the management of the area, collect information, and promptly detect violations. Monitor addresses and social networking sites that regularly livestream to sell online, thereby tracing warehouses and business locations.

Regularly monitor the warehouses of transportation and delivery service units so that when there are signs of violations, they will be inspected and handled immediately. At the same time, send civil servants to attend training courses on e-commerce, learn from experiences from other provinces to improve the effectiveness of the work against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods in the e-commerce environment.

Coordinate well with functional forces in collecting information, checking, handling, and promptly preventing smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods in an increasingly transparent market, better serving consumers.

Nhi Tran

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