Join hands to protect consumer rights

In recent times, the work of protecting consumer rights has always been of interest to all levels, sectors and localities in the province with many solutions. Thereby, protecting the legitimate interests of consumers, enhancing the responsibility of production and business units, and increasing the value of products.

Customers shopping at Co.opmart Dong Ha Supermarket - Photo: HT

For more than 3 years now, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, in Dong Le ward, Dong Ha city has gradually become a regular customer of the supermarket system in the city because of the convenience, cleanliness, attentive service quality and especially the trust in product quality thanks to the transparency of prices and product information.

“With the development of new forms of commerce, I think not only me but also many consumers in the province are gradually changing their daily shopping habits in a more positive direction. Whether buying goods at traditional markets, retail stores or supermarkets, we will prioritize choosing products with clear origins, expiry dates, and publicly listed prices... to protect the health and money of ourselves and our families, while limiting the opportunity for counterfeit goods, fake goods, goods of unknown origin or goods that do not ensure food safety to infiltrate the market. This is also a way for consumers to protect their legitimate and legal rights,” Mr. Tuan shared.

As a reputable retail enterprise in the market, Co.opmart Dong Ha Supermarket is always aware of its responsibility in providing quality goods to consumers. Right from the first step of selecting suppliers, the unit always prioritizes domestic manufacturing enterprises, especially high-quality Vietnamese products, certified by the Ministry of Health to ensure food hygiene and safety, with ISO or HACCP certificates.

Deputy Director of Co.opmart Dong Ha Supermarket Ho Thi Thanh Duyen said: “Protecting the rights of consumers is the top priority of Co.opmart Dong Ha Supermarket. Therefore, in business activities, the unit always focuses on issues of ensuring product quality, price, service and customer care. All goods have full legal documents proving origin, invoices, documents... We believe that protecting consumer rights is both an obligation and a right of the enterprise. Because this not only helps consumers but also helps enterprises promote product consumption, develop production and business activities”.

In recent years, the work of protecting consumer rights in the province has had positive changes. Provincial levels and sectors have been taking practical actions to better protect consumer rights.

The implementation process has created a clear change in raising awareness, role, responsibility and effectiveness in protecting consumer rights. Departments, branches and sectors have promoted the dissemination of the Law on Consumer Rights Protection and related decrees and circulars with diverse contents and forms; promoted the campaign "Vietnamese people give priority to using Vietnamese goods"; disseminated and warned consumers about the way to buy goods, signs to identify genuine and fake goods, poor quality goods... to raise understanding and awareness of the role and significance of consumer rights protection.

In particular, the authorities have stepped up the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods to stabilize the market and protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. Strengthen inspection and management of the area, proactively grasp the market situation, price developments, supply and demand of goods; organize inspections of production and business establishments, especially in mountainous areas, remote areas to promptly detect and strictly handle violations in accordance with the law.

In 2023, functional forces in the province inspected, detected, arrested and handled 2,073 cases (trading and transporting prohibited goods, smuggled goods: 1,230 cases, commercial fraud: 838 cases, counterfeit goods: 5 cases) with the value of violated goods of 25.7 billion VND; sanctioned 1,648 administrative violations with the amount of money paid to the budget of 61.5 billion VND...

In order to call for, mobilize and encourage the participation of state agencies, social organizations, enterprises and consumers in consumer protection activities, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a plan to implement the work of protecting consumer rights in the province in 2024.

In which, the work of protecting consumer rights in 2024 continues to be associated with the theme "Transparent information, safe consumption". This theme emphasizes the meaning and importance of clear information and transparent goods for the safety of consumers in the process of choosing, paying for, and using goods and services, especially in the context of increasing violations of consumer rights in the online environment.

The Provincial People's Committee directs localities, agencies, units and enterprises in the province to strengthen specialized inspection and examination activities to promptly detect and handle cases with signs of violating consumer rights, especially in the following areas: food safety and hygiene; intellectual property, product labeling and expiry date; model contracts and general transaction conditions...

Regularly inspect and control the market and resolutely handle violations of the law to protect consumer rights. Organize propaganda activities, respond to and implement consumer rights protection work, contributing to raising consumer awareness of self-protection. On the other hand, encourage businesses, supermarkets, and shopping centers to balance resources to organize promotional programs and show gratitude to consumers such as: giving gifts, discounts, supporting product warranty and maintenance, consulting on safe and economical use of consumer products, etc.

In addition to the active participation of authorities, consumers also need to proactively learn and grasp their rights when making transactions; actively report information about acts of infringement of consumer rights to competent authorities so that organizations and individuals providing goods and services are more aware of ensuring consumer rights, resolutely "say no" to products with unclear information and organizations and individuals providing goods and services but disregarding the rights and health of consumers.

Ha Trang

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