Recently, a food service business in Bao Thang district, Lao Cai province was administratively fined 4.75 million VND for unusually increasing prices after floods and violating food hygiene and safety regulations.
In Yen Bai, the Market Management force is also investigating information about a volunteer group that stopped at a restaurant in Gioi Phien commune for lunch and was "ripped off".
If the investigation results are incorrect, the restaurant must be cleared. But if the allegations are correct, the authorities must take effective corrective measures.
For example, previously in Quang Ninh, when the owner of Com Ngon restaurant, Ms. Lien, refused to serve customers, she was called for a boycott, causing a stir in public opinion. After the authorities promptly intervened, the restaurant owner had to admit her mistake and publicly apologize to customers.
"Ripping off" customers under normal conditions is already unacceptable behavior, but taking advantage of the storm and flood situation to increase prices has made public opinion even more outraged.
Especially in the context of restaurants, hotels... opening their doors to welcome guests with free meals and accommodation from the Central region to the North.
The fact that local authorities quickly stepped in, inspected and punished businesses that took advantage of storms and floods to increase prices or behave inappropriately towards customers is a timely and very welcome move.
However, the public also needs to understand that these are just "bad apples spoiling the barrel". A restaurant owner in Lao Cai taking advantage of the storm and flood to increase prices does not mean that all restaurants and hotels in this locality behave the same way.
Of course, even though it is only the actions of a few, these "bad apples" can damage the local image in the eyes of tourists and relief groups.
Raising the price of a few meals and earning a couple of million dong is not a big deal, not worth it because doing business is a long-term thing, even a lifetime. Besides, even if you get that amount of money, your conscience will still be troubled when facing public opinion.
In difficult times due to storms, floods and natural disasters, if you do not have the conditions to open your door to welcome guests for free like many others, you should not be a greedy "worm".
Every negative behavior, no matter how small, will have big consequences, not only for yourself but also for the whole community!
