Applying technology to prevent counterfeit goods

Faced with the widespread situation of counterfeit and fake goods, traceability has become a tool to protect consumers, maintain business reputation and enhance the effectiveness of State management. The solution is to soon build a national database on the origin and quality of products and goods.

Technology accompanies consumers

In the past, consumers only trusted the packaging, the words "genuine" or the introduction of a seller or business... But now these factors are no longer the basis. The habit of scanning codes to trace the origin of products is becoming more popular among consumers.

Scan the QR code on the product code.

Ms. Bich Ngoc (45 years old, housewife) said that every week, she goes to the supermarket or shopping malls. However, instead of just reading some basic information of the product such as price, production date, expiry date, Ms. Bich Ngoc uses her smartphone to scan the QR code printed on the box to read all the information about this product. Such as: expiry date, place of production, inspection... even packaging, transportation...

However, at the fruit and vegetable section of a convenience store on Minh Khai Street, Ms. Thu Hang, a customer, said: “When I came here to buy things, I carefully noticed that some vegetables had labels and some did not. Most of them were imported goods, while dried goods had full codes for easy tracking. When I asked the sales staff about the origin of the vegetables and fruits, they said they were imported from reputable sources, so customers can rest assured.”

According to a sales manager of FuJiMart Le Duan supermarket, recently more businesses have been interested in creating QR codes for their products, most commonly for products such as rice, canned milk, canned food, fresh food (vegetables, fruits)... Goods with QR codes often receive more attention and are chosen by more consumers.

Also from this practical need, in recent years, the solution of tracing the origin of products and goods has been of interest to many enterprises and manufacturers and put into use. Through this solution, they can provide consumers with products of clear origin, high quality, avoiding the phenomenon of counterfeit and poor quality goods.

Apply digital traceability system

QR codes for tracing the origin of products and goods are a type of 2D barcode. Although they have only been used by food and goods manufacturing enterprises for a few years, QR codes are becoming more and more popular and are gradually replacing traditional barcodes thanks to their ability to convert information from content and links into images, making it convenient for users to check information at supermarkets and physical sales locations.

A company with a production facility in Gia Lam, Hanoi shared: “The application of QR codes to trace the origin of products has become a two-way information channel between manufacturers and consumers. Thereby demonstrating the responsibility of enterprises in producing and trading safe food and quality goods. In addition, the implementation of traceability plays an increasingly important role. For exported goods, if the requirements for traceability are not met, the competitive advantage will be lost.”

Ms. Nguyen Thanh, Director of Ban Me Green Farm Joint Stock Company, shared that 2 years after establishing the company, she was interested in and registered QR codes and barcodes on the packaging for tomato and cucumber products... Thereby, when the products are supplied to the market, consumers can easily have information, trace the origin, and feel secure when buying and using. At the same time, it also helps customers find the right products made by the company.

According to Mr. Tran Ba Duong - National Innovation expert, senior advisor of Tech Fesst, in recent years, Vietnam has had many solutions to combat counterfeit, fake and poor quality goods using anti-counterfeit stamps, barcodes, QR codes... However, the problem of counterfeit goods is becoming more and more sophisticated, systematic and large-scale.

Tracing has been implemented in many places, but has not yet shown the supply chain. “The current counterfeiting situation is not only copying designs, but also falsifying information, data and traceability codes. Traditional methods (labels, simple barcodes) are no longer strong enough to deal with sophisticated tricks, are revealing many shortcomings, are easily counterfeited, remade, and even QR codes are counterfeited. Therefore, truly breakthrough solutions are needed, based on integrating smart technology and linking digital data chains. QR code creation must be controlled and periodically inspected by authorities,” Mr. Tran Ba Duong assessed.

Perfecting the law, building a national database

At the national online conference to review the first 6 months and summarize the peak period against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods, Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Long said that during the peak period, the police force focused on dismantling large-scale fake food production and trading chains, typically products such as milk and functional foods. Notably, there were two large-scale violating business ecosystems: Z Holding and Big Holding. Z Holding was determined to have sold nearly VND7,000 billion worth of fake goods; Big Holding about VND4,000 billion. "To deceive the authorities, the subjects forged test results or colluded with testing units to provide fake results, colluded with state agencies to facilitate the issuance of GMP certificates to manufacturing plants."

According to experts, the key factor to prevent counterfeit goods is to invest early in upgrading the technology infrastructure of the National Product and Goods Traceability Information Portal. Currently, this portal is still interrupted when traffic increases and data cannot be shared between ministries, branches and localities. Enterprises need to declare information about the supply chain (raw materials, production processes, shipments, etc.) on this system for parties to monitor and assign responsibility when incidents occur. Once declared on the portal, enterprises will be responsible before the law and must comply with the published information. As for citizens, they can access the portal to check the origin, process and quality of products circulating nationwide. For example, in the recent case of fake milk production and consumption, the subjects announced the products mainly in one locality and consumed them in another locality, while the data was not shared. Therefore, if the information was posted on the Portal, the management agency in the locality where the products were consumed would have the information to retrieve and manage.

One of the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister to the Ministry of Public Security within the framework of Project 06 is to coordinate in building a data platform on the origin of goods. "Currently, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Industry and Trade , and VNPT are building this system, expected to be put into trial operation at the end of this year," said Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Long. Initially, the system will be applied to a number of groups of goods. Once operational, the platform will help people trace the origin of products, contributing to preventing trade fraud, counterfeit goods, and smuggled goods, while providing data for policy making.

The Ministry has proposed a solution to soon build a national database on the origin and quality of products and goods. This system will greatly facilitate state agencies in inspecting, checking and handling violations; at the same time, the responsibility of production facilities and people in ensuring the quality of goods will also be clarified, making it easier to access information.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui Hoang Phuong

kinhtedothi.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/ung-dung-cong-nghe-de-ngan-chan-hang-gia-hang-nhai-post649313.html