Counterfeiting of a brand can create confusion, leaving consumers unable to distinguish between genuine and fake products, leading to a loss of trust, according to the Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (SABECO).

The beer maker proposed creating a healthy business environment that offers protection for consumer rights and the legal rights of brand owners by dealing with acts of trademark infringement strictly, particularly in cases of intentional counterfeiting.

-Local authorities tighten their grip on counterfeit goods scammers

In a case of copyright infringement in the Vietnamese beer industry that concluded in March, Le Dinh Trung, of the Saigon Vietnam Beer Group JSC and a former employee of SABECO, was fined by a Vietnamese court for making and selling almost 9,000 boxes of beer with branding that infringed on the Bia Saigon trademark.

Despite this recent enforcement of copyright law, counterfeit beer continues to appear. This strongly suggests that administrative sanctions may no longer be enough to deter those whose profits from producing counterfeit beer make it worthwhile.

Bia Saigon is a large and renowned Vietnamese brand with a 148-year history in the market, offering a diverse array of product lines. The blue label symbol with the image of a flying dragon is trademarked and has been deeply engrained in the minds of Vietnamese consumers.

Tran Huu Linh, general director of the Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said, “People who produce counterfeit goods are very sophisticated.

They research the law carefully to find loopholes. Many counterfeit products are similar, or almost identical, to the real thing and are also copyrighted. In these cases, it takes a lot of time to resolve disputes, and sometimes the authorities are even sued by the subjects.”

“Businesses urgently need to send information related to counterfeit beer to the local Market Management Department or to the General Department of Market Management.

This will help us to protect the legitimate interests of businesses but also people’s health, as the safety of counterfeit goods for consumption cannot be guaranteed” added Linh.

According to data from the Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance, in the first six months of this year alone, there have been 4,686 cases related to counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, and goods infringing on intellectual property rights.

It is hoped that by increasing the likelihood of criminal prosecution for the violation of these rights, the number of prosecutions, public awareness of intellectual property rights, as well as reducing infringement cases, the business and investor communities in Vietnam will gain confidence in the country’s business climate.

With a total of 148 years of brewing history, Saigon Beer – Alcohol – Beverage Corporation (“SABECO”) has established itself as one of Vietnam’s leading companies.

The beverage company now has a total of 26 breweries and 11 trading subsidiaries alongside a significant distribution network consisting of hundreds of thousands retailers across the nation.

SABECO is proud to offer a brand portfolio that consists of some of the most well-loved beer brands in Vietnam, including Bia Lac Viet, Bia Saigon Chill, Bia 333, Bia Saigon Special, Bia Saigon Export, Bia Saigon Lager, and Bia Saigon Gold.