This was the main topic of a workshop on commercial fraud, counterfeit goods, and consumer protection in Vietnam’s e-commerce environment which was organised by the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development in collaboration with Cooperative Vereniging SNB–REACT U.A (React) in Hanoi on March 14.

According to the report from the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, efforts to combat counterfeit goods and protect consumers in general, especially in the e-commerce sector, have yielded positive results.

The workshop is one of the activities held in response to Vietnam Consumer Rights Day (March 15) in 2025.

In 2024 alone, in the e-commerce sector, the market surveillance forces conducted inspections and handled more than 3,400 cases. Among these, 1,256 cases involved counterfeit goods and intellectual property rights violations, resulting in administrative fines of approximately 1.9 million USD. The confiscated and processed goods were valued at nearly 2 million USD.

Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, emphasised that alongside the rapid development of the internet, the online business trend has brought economic benefits to many industries in Vietnam. This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak when the rapid growth of e-commerce contributed to Vietnam emerging as one of the most promising markets in the ASEAN region.

From market inspection and control practices, it is evident that most branded products favoured by consumers are at risk of being counterfeited or subject to intellectual property infringement. From an economic perspective, counterfeit goods and intellectual property violations significantly impact profits, damage the reputation of legitimate manufacturers and businesses, and mislead consumers, causing them to lose trust and turn away from authentic products.

Moreover, due to their price advantage over genuine goods, counterfeit products and those violating intellectual property rights create a difficult market environment for legitimate and clearly sourced goods. This leads to sluggish sales, declining revenue, and, in many cases, bankruptcy or a forced shift to alternative business models.

Recognising this issue, the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development has implemented and advised the government on various concrete measures to mitigate this problem, aiming for the healthy development of e-commerce and consumer protection. Notably, the Project on Combating Counterfeit Goods and Protecting Consumers in E-Commerce until 2025 was approved under Decision No. 319/QD-TTg on March 29, 2023.

Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, guides people to distinguish between real and fake textbooks.

Nguyen Duc Le, a representative from the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, stated that the project's primary goal is to protect consumer rights, combat counterfeit goods, and prevent other fraudulent trade practices. In 2025, the agency will conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of the project's achievements, analyse challenges and obstacles, and propose plans for the next phase of implementation.

In 2024, the General Department of Market Management under the Ministry of Industry and Trade signed a cooperation agreement with the Department of Security Industry under the Ministry of Public Security with the aim to develop a data software system for e-commerce activities, as well as commercial activities in general, in 2025. This system will enable product identification and traceability, with an initial pilot focusing on textbooks.

The workshop, which was held just before Consumer Rights Protection Day on March 15, serves as a reminder that all efforts to combat commercial fraud in various forms ultimately aim at the highest goal of protecting consumers.

Delegates visit and learn about the distinguishing features of genuine and counterfeit products at the workshop.

As part of the workshop, the organising committee provided attendees with hands-on guidance on identifying authentic and counterfeit products from dozens of brands across various sectors, including cosmetics, functional foods, household goods, fashion, and handbags. This initiative aimed to enhance consumer knowledge in detecting and handling counterfeit goods and intellectual property violations, thus ensuring brand protection and consumer safety in e-commerce transactions.