Hanoi (VNA) – Amid the booming e-commerce activities,the protection of personal information of consumers is a crucial issue,requiring efforts from all parties to address.

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

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

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

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

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

Vu Van Trung, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the VietnamConsumer Protection Association, said that each year, it sends yearly consumerprotection plans to its chapters in localities, reminding them onprioritised activities.

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

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

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

Bui Huy Hoang, Vice Director of the IT and DigitalTechnology 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 productsin the electronic environment.

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

Trung affirmed that in 2024, the Vietnam CompetitionCommission will focus on perfecting the legal corridor and improving itscapacity in detecting violations of competition regulations, while showingstronger performance in implementing the plan to realise the Law on Consumer RightProtection, and continuing to strictly monitor multi-level business activities toensure a healthy business environment./.