The absence of procedures allowing consumer protection organisations toact on behalf of their members is damaging the legitimate interests ofVietnamese customers, participants at a workshop have heard.
Experts provided their insight into this shortcoming at a meetingtitled ‘Vietnamese consumers’ rights: Issues and Solutions’, which washeld by the People’s Participation Working Group (PPWG), the Instituteof Social, Economic and Environmental Research (iSEE), and the VietnamStandards and Consumers Association (Vinastas) in Hanoi on March 12.
According to an online survey of 1,200 peoplepublished by iSEE, up to 46 percent of respondents said they had boughtgoods of low quality, 40 percent bought goods without a clear origin andover 30% bought expired or counterfeit goods.
Only a few people complained, however, as they felt discouraged by thetime-consuming and often fruitless complaints process. Many admitted tofeeling felt alone in the battle to protect their interests.
Le Quang Binh, head of the PPWG, said Vietnam had implemented aconsumer protection law but had failed to enforce it sufficiently. Hesaid the agency in charge must provide full information on consumers’rights and interests and the mechanisms open to them for protection.
They also need to streamline procedures and allowconsumers to stand together to protect their legitimate rights, headded.
Sharing Binh’s view, Pham Manh Hung, VicePresident of Vinastas, advised consumers to stand together to gathermore strength in the battle to protect their rights and interests.
Hung said his association annually receives around 1,000 complaintsfrom consumers, but said the number only reflects a small fraction ofdisgruntled customers.
According to Pham QueAnh, Director of the Consumer Unity & Trust Society, the Governmentshould allow consumer associations to act on behalf of their members inmaking complaints.
Compensation should not onlygo back into the State budget, as happens now, but should be returned toconsumers via protection activities organised by their representativegroups, Anh added.-VNA
Experts provided their insight into this shortcoming at a meetingtitled ‘Vietnamese consumers’ rights: Issues and Solutions’, which washeld by the People’s Participation Working Group (PPWG), the Instituteof Social, Economic and Environmental Research (iSEE), and the VietnamStandards and Consumers Association (Vinastas) in Hanoi on March 12.
According to an online survey of 1,200 peoplepublished by iSEE, up to 46 percent of respondents said they had boughtgoods of low quality, 40 percent bought goods without a clear origin andover 30% bought expired or counterfeit goods.
Only a few people complained, however, as they felt discouraged by thetime-consuming and often fruitless complaints process. Many admitted tofeeling felt alone in the battle to protect their interests.
Le Quang Binh, head of the PPWG, said Vietnam had implemented aconsumer protection law but had failed to enforce it sufficiently. Hesaid the agency in charge must provide full information on consumers’rights and interests and the mechanisms open to them for protection.
They also need to streamline procedures and allowconsumers to stand together to protect their legitimate rights, headded.
Sharing Binh’s view, Pham Manh Hung, VicePresident of Vinastas, advised consumers to stand together to gathermore strength in the battle to protect their rights and interests.
Hung said his association annually receives around 1,000 complaintsfrom consumers, but said the number only reflects a small fraction ofdisgruntled customers.
According to Pham QueAnh, Director of the Consumer Unity & Trust Society, the Governmentshould allow consumer associations to act on behalf of their members inmaking complaints.
Compensation should not onlygo back into the State budget, as happens now, but should be returned toconsumers via protection activities organised by their representativegroups, Anh added.-VNA
