Efforts made to protect the interests of consumers

For a long time, the COVID-19 epidemic has affected the psychology and shopping behavior of consumers. The protection of consumers' interests is being strengthened by functional sectors.

The functional force checks and list a household trading of counterfeit products in Thuan An city

Plenty violations related to consumer rights

At the closing conference of the Binh Duong Consumer Protection Association held recently, Mr. Nguyen Phuong Dong, Deputy Director of the provincial Market Management Department, said that over the past time, violations of consumers' rights have been reported to continue in many new forms. Speculation and sales of unknown origin are complicated, and violations related to e-commerce activities are also plenty. In 2021, the provincial market management force inspected 597 cases and handled 444 cases related to counterfeit goods, infringing on intellectual property rights and food safety, and sanctioned nearly 4 administrative violations at the cost of VND 8 billion.

“Violations in the commercial sector are increasingly complex. They mainly focus on high-value products, manufactured in foreign countries, passing through many sales channels for transactions. They are very sophisticated in order to erase traces, affecting the investigation and verification process of the functional forces. Therefore, it is necessary to coordinate with businesses, consumers and management units to be able to properly handle the violators," said Mr. Nguyen Phuong Dong.

Nguyen Van Ban, Chairman of the provincial Consumer Protection Association, said that in 2021 alone, the unit has received nearly 30 calls to reflect, complain and request from consumers across the province. Many consumer calls and complaints related to products and services such as poor quality goods, counterfeit goods on electronic products, food, medical equipment etc. Direct consumer complaints were commonly about businesses that committed violations of the laws and had been successfully reconciled with their business units. “In the context of the epidemic, consumers limit travel and consume more selectively. Former consumer habits such as buying in person have turned into online transactions and demand higher for product quality. Therefore, the protection of consumers' interests must also have forms to adapt to the trend," said Mr. Nguyen Van Ban.

To prevent bad behaviors

In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic is an influencing factor for all consumers to change their shopping habits, and state management agencies also change their approach to protect consumers and businesses. The theme launched by the Ministry of Industry and Trade - "Safe consumption in the new normal", aims to affirm the meaning and importance of ensuring the safety of consumers in transactions in the market. At the same time, this is also a call for all levels, sectors, state management agencies, social organizations, and the business community to join hands in fulfilling the responsibility of protecting consumers' interests, contributing to the protection of consumers' interests and building a civilized society.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ban said that in recent years, the protection of consumers' interests has often been concerned. In 2021, when the epidemic became complicated, the protection of consumers' interests has always been paid attention to. Many units and organizations have made efforts to build and carry out propaganda in various forms such as coordinating the transportation of essentials, giving free medical masks and sanitizers, and actively propagating about rights of consumers.

Among them, it is impossible not to mention the active and effective participation of localities and branches in the province. Since then, Binh Duong has always been the leading locality in the country in terms of implementation duty to protect the interests of consumers. Having that result, according to Mr. Nguyen Van Ban, the provincial People's Committee has promptly issued plans and programs of "Action for the interests of consumers" for extensive implementation in the province. Along with that, every year the Department of Industry and Trade cooperates with the Consumer Protection Association to organize practical, economical and effective Consumer Rights Day activities to encourage the active participation of state management agencies, social organizations, businesses and consumers in contributing to building a healthy business and consumption environment while stimulating consumer use and promoting socio-economic development.

Reported by Thanh Hong – Translated by Vi Bao