Việt Nam steps up fight against counterfeits, IP violations

Việt Nam steps up fight against counterfeits, IP violations

In the first nine months of 2026, market surveillance authorities inspected and handled 19,646 cases involving counterfeit goods and IP infringements, collecting nearly VNĐ250 billion (US$9.6 million) for the state budget.

The MoU signing ceremony between the agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development and Procter & Gamble (P&G). — Photo Ministry of Industry and Trade

Việt Nam's domestic market surveillance force and Procter & Gamble (P&G) have renewed their cooperation to strengthen efforts to combat counterfeit goods and protect intellectual property (IP) rights.

The Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development (DMS) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and P&G signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in Hà Nội on October 9, building on their partnership established in 2023.

Cooperation over the past years has delivered positive results in training, improving the ability to distinguish genuine products from counterfeits, coordinating inspections, handling violations, and raising public awareness of IP protection.

In the first nine months of 2026, market surveillance authorities inspected and handled 19,646 cases involving counterfeit goods and IP infringements, collecting nearly VNĐ250 billion (US$9.6 million) for the state budget. In September alone, more than 1,700 cases were handled, bringing in approximately VNĐ17.2 billion.

Violations involving P&G brands, including Pantene, Head & Shoulders and Olay, were among those detected. Notably, authorities uncovered a case involving skin-whitening cream bearing the Olay brand that showed signs of trademark counterfeiting.

Other violations included the sale of smuggled goods and breaches of regulations on product standards, metrology, quality, labelling and barcodes.

Online commerce has also been a focus of enforcement. During the nine-month period, authorities dealt with 635 cases involving violations in e-commerce, generating nearly VNĐ11.4 billion in state revenue. In September, 59 cases were handled, with collections reaching nearly VNĐ900 million.

Alongside enforcement, P&G has supplied genuine and counterfeit product samples for display at the DMS’s product identification exhibition at 62 Tràng Tiền Street in Hà Nội, helping businesses and consumers improve their ability to identify counterfeits.

Under the renewed cooperation framework, the two sides will strengthen information sharing on protected trademarks, product identification features and businesses, warehouses, accounts and online shops suspected of violations.

They will also coordinate efforts to detect, verify and handle infringements in both traditional markets and e-commerce.

The DMS is developing a database on IP rights enforcement by market surveillance authorities, which is expected to be launched in the coming period.

It called on P&G to provide and update trademark registration records, brand information and product identification materials, and participate in data exchange to support the detection, verification and handling of violations.

The two sides will also continue training market surveillance personnel to identify genuine and counterfeit products, while providing samples and materials for exhibitions and public awareness campaigns.

The renewed memorandum is expected to build on the results achieved since 2023, strengthen IP enforcement, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of businesses and consumers, and contribute to a more transparent and fair business environment. 

Bizhub