Traceability helps detect fake and counterfeit goods early

Traceability is gradually becoming a mandatory requirement

Traceability is a concept that has been mentioned a lot recently, but without a unified understanding and definition, it is very easy to deploy it in a movement, not reaching the true objectives.

At the seminar "Traceability - Shield to protect businesses and consumers" organized by the Domestic Market Management and Development Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) in coordination with Marketing and Family Magazine, Mr. Tran Huu Linh, Director of the Domestic Market Management and Development Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) said that there was a period when many businesses chased the trend of making anti-counterfeit stamps and said that this was anti-counterfeit goods.

With traceability, it is also necessary to re-examine the nature of the problem to understand correctly and do correctly. This is an activity that allows businesses to track and identify products throughout the entire process from input materials, production, transportation to distribution to the market. In which, the two stages of production and transportation are mainly within the scope of business management, while other stages are related to many entities in the supply chain.

The starting point of traceability is the self-management needs of businesses. Businesses want to manage products better, want the market to be more transparent, so they must implement traceability. Currently, many businesses have applied QR codes to manage products, even though there are special items that cannot be labeled or directly recognized. However, the general trend is that businesses will have to gradually adapt to the increasing traceability requirements of the market. In the context of increasingly strict international integration, in my opinion, traceability is gradually becoming a mandatory requirement instead of just stopping at the level of encouragement," Mr. Linh said.

According to representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the past, anti-counterfeit stamps were common in the market. But in fact, stamps can also be counterfeited and copied very sophisticatedly. To be honest, sometimes even market management officials find it difficult to distinguish between real stamps and fake stamps. Currently, with the development of technology, goods have had more modern authentication solutions, such as electronic stamps or QR codes.

This is a very convenient tool for functional forces. Just use a phone to scan the code to quickly check traceability information, thereby initially identifying abnormal signs of the product. It can be said that traceability in recent times has effectively supported the work of combating counterfeit goods, helping functional forces detect violations early and protect businesses as well as consumers," Mr. Linh said.

Maintaining business reputation, protecting consumers

From a business perspective, Mr. Nguyen Quoc An, Deputy General Director of Super Phosphate and Chemicals Lam Thao Company, said that since 2021, the enterprise has deployed a QR code system for products. The biggest motivation comes from the enterprise's own needs in protecting brands and controlling goods.

As a large brand, our products are counterfeited a lot. This not only affects the business reputation but also directly affects farmers and consumers. We have divided the market into regions for management, and at the same time closely coordinate with distributors and accompany consumers in identifying genuine products. For us, traceability is primarily to protect business reputation and protect the market," Mr. An said.

Mr. Phan Van Tam, Deputy General Director of Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, said that in the past, farmers were not yet familiar with smartphones, so the application of QR codes faced many difficulties. However, since last year, the enterprise has updated new technology to deploy more effective traceability.

“Currently is the right time for consumers to access and look up product information on digital platforms and national information portals. In the context of increasing competition and transparency requirements, businesses want to develop sustainably and protect their brands, they are required to implement traceability,” Mr. Tam said.