Vietnam lawmakers warn of food safety gaps after massive fake milk powder scandal

National Assembly delegates in Vietnam are calling for urgent reforms to food safety management following the discovery of 573 types of counterfeit milk powder produced by Rance Pharma and Hacofood Group. These products were sold publicly for approximately four years, generating nearly 500 billion VND in revenue.

Investigations by the Ministry of Public Security revealed that many products contained quality indicators at less than 70% of their declared levels. The counterfeit goods specifically targeted vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, infants, and individuals with diabetes or kidney disease.

Delegate Pham Thu Xanh highlighted six critical regulatory loopholes: the exploitation of self-declaration mechanisms, insufficient post-inspection capabilities, fragmented responsibilities among ministries, difficult-to-control digital advertising, safety risks in collective kitchens, and uneven local testing infrastructure. Lawmakers are now advocating for the amended Law on Food Safety to prioritize rigorous post-inspection, including unscheduled checks based on risk assessments and public disclosure of violation results.