The minister made this statement on 9/7 while addressing constituents from Hue City before the 9th session of the XV National Assembly. She was responding to their concerns about enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of food safety management.

This proposal aims to address the widespread prevalence of low-quality and untraceable food products in the market. Substandard food continues to pose a threat, especially to children, with unlabeled and dubious products openly sold near schools.

Of even greater concern is the proliferation of counterfeit health supplements and formula on social media platforms, making them easily accessible to consumers. Celebrities often exaggerate the benefits of these products, misleading the public. Meanwhile, the constituents' petition highlighted overlapping responsibilities, bottlenecks, and multiple agencies involved in food safety management.

A box of formula identified as counterfeit by the police. Photo: VTV

A box of formula identified as counterfeit by the police. Photo: VTV

Minister Lan acknowledged that current penalties for food safety violations, ranging from criminal charges to administrative fines, are relatively comprehensive. However, given the persistent discovery of counterfeit and low-quality goods, the Ministry of Health is proposing adjustments and additions to government decrees to increase fines for such violations.

Notably, the ministry proposes increasing penalties by 1.2 to two times for several serious offenses: violations related to self-declaration and product registration; the use of ingredients with unknown origins; the use of unapproved food additives, prohibited substances, and chemicals; violations of food safety conditions in food service businesses; and violations of advertising regulations.

Under Decree 115/2018/ND-CP, amended by Decree 124/2021/ND-CP, the government imposes fines ranging from 30 million to 40 million VND for producing or importing products requiring registration without doing so or for incorrect self-declaration or registration.

Using ingredients of unknown origin carries a fine of 30 million to 40 million VND for individuals and 60 million to 80 million VND for organizations. In especially severe cases, the penalty can be one to two times the value of the violating products.

Beyond financial penalties, the Ministry of Health also proposes suspending advertising for serious violations and publicizing these cases as a deterrent. The ministry will also request cross-border social media platforms to remove violating content, suspend accounts, and strengthen advertising oversight.

The fight against unsafe food is intensifying. From the beginning of the year until now, authorities have uncovered over 34,000 violations, including over 8,200 cases of prohibited goods trafficking, over 25,100 cases of commercial fraud, and over 1,100 cases of counterfeiting. These cases have generated over 4,897 billion VND for the state budget, leading to nearly 1,400 prosecutions involving over 2,100 individuals.

Le Nga