Proactively preventing violations

In the past 9 months, the provincial market management force has inspected over 1,000 cases. Of these, it has imposed administrative fines in over 400 cases, contributing over VND 1.4 billion to the state budget. The value of infringing goods forced to be destroyed was nearly VND 110 million, and seized infringing goods awaiting processing were valued at over VND 30 million. The main violations included trading smuggled goods, goods of unknown origin, counterfeit labels, and violations of price listing and food safety.

Mr. Nguyễn Minh Cường, acting Director of the provincial Market Management Sub-Department, said that the end of the year is a time of high shopping demand and a vibrant goods market, which is also when fraudulent trade and the sale of counterfeit goods tend to increase with many sophisticated methods. Faced with this situation, the provincial Market Management Sub-Department has proactively implemented a high-priority plan to inspect and control the market, focusing on essential goods for the upcoming 2026 Lunar New Year (Tết) holiday.

According to Mr. Nguyễn Minh Cường, the unit has now directed its market management teams to stay close to their areas, firmly grasp supply-demand trends and prices, and at the same time, increase unannounced inspections at warehouses, gathering points, and online businesses, especially those that have previously violated or show suspicious signs. All violations will be handled strictly according to the law.

Adhering to the guidance of the Department of Industry and Trade and documents from the Domestic Market Management and Development Department, the provincial Market Management Sub-Department has proactively developed a high-priority plan for market inspection and control for the end of 2025 and the Tết holiday of 2026. The focus is on essential goods serving the high consumer demand, such as food, confectionery, alcohol, beer, tobacco, gasoline, clothing, and electronics.

Along with regular inspections and control, the market management force is coordinating with police, customs, tax forces, and local authorities in monitoring goods sources and inspecting circulation. It is also coordinating with other departments and sectors to build plans, implement price stabilization programs, and support businesses in stockpiling essential goods to ensure a stable supply and prevent localized price “fevers.”

Protecting consumer rights

In parallel with inspection and handling of violations, the provincial market management force is focusing on communication activities, disseminating laws on trade and consumer protection, helping to raise awareness and change the behavior of people in selecting and using safe goods with clear origins. Consumers are also encouraged to proactively detect, report, and denounce acts of trade fraud and the sale of fake or low-quality goods so that functional agencies can handle them promptly, building a healthy business environment and protecting the legitimate rights of the people.

According to Mr. Nguyễn Minh Cường, communication plays a key role in raising the legal compliance awareness of people and business establishments. When consumers understand, know how to choose safe products, and promptly report violations, and businesses voluntarily comply with regulations, the effectiveness of market management will be enhanced. Accordingly, since the beginning of the year, the Sub-Department has organized many mobile communication drives, coordinated with media agencies and local authorities to disseminate legal regulations on trade and food safety, contributing to preventing violations right from the source.

According to the plan, from now until the Tết holiday of 2026, besides specialized, regular, and unannounced inspections by the market management force, the province will establish inter-sectoral inspection teams to grasp the situation of goods production and business in many fields, especially at wholesale markets, commercial centers, and on key transport routes.

In particular, given the complex developments of sales and business activities in cyberspace and on e-commerce platforms, functional forces will focus on inspecting essential items and popular consumer goods. They will strengthen coordination among sectors in sharing information, monitoring, synthesizing, evaluating, and classifying subjects and items, and identifying acts, methods, and tricks to promptly detect and handle those who exploit e-commerce to conduct smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods, especially those trading in food, functional foods, and supplements.