Efforts exerted to protect consumers’ rights on cyberspace

Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, consumers’ shopping habit has changed dramatically with increasing demands for online shopping. However, this trend has led to a hike in violations of consumers’ rights in cyberspace.

Le Trieu Dung, Chairman of the Vietnam Competition Commission under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said that over the years, it has rolled out measures to implement the task of strengthening the Party and State’s management over the protection of consumers’ rights, along with a number of related projects.

At the same time, the commission has verified 150 applications on contract forms and general transaction condition, while completing the procedures in responding to consumers’ feedback and recommendations, said Dung.

The official said that in 2023, the commission collected administrative fine of 600 million VND (24,266 USD) on five businesses violating consumer right protection regulations.

However, Dung acknowledged that the coordination between the commission and departments of industry and trade in localities and the Vietnam Consumer Protection Association has been limited due to modest resources.

Vu Van Trung, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Consumer Protection Association, said that each year, it sends yearly consumer protection plans to its chapters in localities, reminding them on prioritised activities.

The effectiveness of the revised Law on Consumer Right Protection has served as an important legal foundation for the observation of consumers’ interest with the increase of consumers’ rights in association with the protection of manufacturers and distributors, said Trung, holding that businesses have increasingly been aware that a lack of transparency in business will lead them to the risk of being eliminated.

This year, the Vietnamese Consumer Rights Day, which is observed annually on March 15, is themed “Transparent information - Safe consumption”, aiming to highlight the need to protect consumers’ safety on cyberspace.

The event has received active response from localities and e-commerce platforms. From March 8, shoppers buying products on the e-ecommerce platform Shopee can return the products they bought within 15 days, three days longer than the previous policy of the platform for free.

Bui Huy Hoang, Vice Director of the IT and Digital Technology Centre under the MoIT’s Department of E-Commerce and Digital Economy, said that the centre has taken a number of measures to protect consumers, including the application of an origin traceability system to combat counterfeit goods, supporting firms to build online brands and market products in the electronic environment.

Besides, the MoIT has implemented a number of solutions to prevent frauds on cyberspace, thus better protecting consumers.

Trung affirmed that in 2024, the Vietnam Competition Commission will focus on perfecting the legal corridor and improving its capacity in detecting violations of competition regulations, while showing stronger performance in implementing the plan to realise the Law on Consumer Right Protection, and continuing to strictly monitor multi-level business activities to ensure a healthy business environment.