The Great Unveiling: Unmasking the Long-Standing Fake Goods Trade at Cho Ninh Hiep

On the morning of May 23, during a group discussion about the socio-economic situation in the first months of 2025, National Assembly Deputy Thai Thu Xuong (from Hau Giang province) pointed out the rampant issue of counterfeit, knock-off, and low-quality goods. She cited recent incidents involving the discovery of fake milk, medicine, and health supplements.

According to Ms. Thai Thu Xuong, through various media outlets, it is known that Ninh Hiep Market in Gia Lam district, Hanoi, has been selling counterfeit and knock-off goods for many years. However, when inspection teams arrived recently, the entire market suddenly closed down.

The deputy from Hau Giang province questioned the role of the market management agency in allowing the entire market to openly sell counterfeit and knock-off goods. She suggested strengthening inspections and enhancing the management role of the assigned agencies to prevent and push back the circulation of counterfeit, knock-off, and low-quality goods.

National Assembly Deputy Tran Quoc Tuan (from Tra Vinh province) expressed concern about the rampant presence of counterfeit and knock-off goods on e-commerce platforms.

According to him, this situation causes significant harm to legitimate businesses and affects the health and rights of consumers, eroding trust in the digital business environment.

Deputy Tuan analyzed that e-commerce has brought many opportunities to Vietnamese enterprises in recent times. With the fastest e-commerce growth rate in Southeast Asia, it offers a direct channel to reach multiple consumers simultaneously without the need for physical store investments.

However, the rate of violations related to counterfeit and knock-off goods on e-commerce platforms remains high, especially in sectors such as fashion, cosmetics, and health supplements…

“Many businesses have complained that their brands and products are constantly being counterfeited on e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Tiktok Shop,” he said, adding that there are cases of unscrupulous merchants taking advantage of promotions to sell inferior goods. There is also an influx of cheap imported goods being sold online in Vietnam.

On the other hand, according to the Department of E-Commerce and Information Technology under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in 2024, the number of customers shopping directly at traditional retail stores decreased by more than 30% in major cities. Traditional markets and small grocery stores are losing customers due to their inability to offer flexible promotions like e-commerce platforms. This slump in traditional market sales is evident in large markets such as An Dong and Tan Binh in Ho Chi Minh City.

For consumers, buying counterfeit goods online leads to a lack of adequate protection for their rights, creating suspicion and hesitation about online shopping. Therefore, according to Mr. Tuan, if management is not tightened, the e-commerce environment will lose its transparency and sustainability, greatly affecting domestic production.

Given this situation, the deputy from Tra Vinh province suggested that the Government direct the issuance of stricter regulations, such as “requiring e-commerce platforms to verify the identity of sellers” using tax codes and citizen identification numbers, and holding them jointly liable if counterfeit goods are found more than 24 hours after a warning.

Additionally, there should be severe penalties for e-commerce platforms that allow the continued presence of violating stores, even if they operate under new guises.

Deputy Tran Quoc Tuan proposed that the Government pilot a mechanism to control online counterfeiting in three key sectors: cosmetics, fashion, and health supplements in 2025. This mechanism would be implemented on major e-commerce platforms like Tiki, Shopee, and Tiktok Shop, with a view to applying it widely from 2026 onwards.