VietNamNet Bridge – The Advertisement Law, comprising of the
strict regulations on the advertisers with an aim to protect consumers, will
take effects from January 1, 2013. However, it’s still not sure if the aim of
the law can be gained.
Law more open than ordinance?
The advertisement law allows
print papers to have more advertisement pages, and allow radio and television
stations to have the time for advertisement accounting for 10 percent of the
total broadcasting time (the figure stipulated in the advertisement ordinance
was five percent).
In an effort to protect
consumers, the law stipulates the owners of the products in advertisement
pieces and the management agencies must have take joint responsibility for the
ad pieces with wrong information.
Especially, the fine of up to 200
million dong would be imposed on the ad pieces which provide wrong information,
which is five times higher than the currently applied fine level.
The advertisement law is hoped to
help settle the chaos in the market. Television audience complains that they
have been regularly persecuted by the advertisement pieces which appear at any
time in any program on TV. An episode of a drama can be interrupted for four
times at least to give place to advertisement clips.
Two months ago, a soft drink
manufacturer posted an advertisement video clip with the images shocking
consumers, which then directed the spearhead of the public’s criticism to the
three well know models Ngoc Trinh, Hoang Yen and Yen Nhi.
The ad piece was described as a
video clip to advertise underwear products instead of soft drinks.
Protecting consumers, how?
How to protect consumers from the
advertisements with wrong information remains a question. A lot of other
questions also remain unanswered. Which agencies would come forward to confirm
the quality and the safety of products? Who would come forward and protect
consumers’ rights in case manufacturers provide wrong information in the ad
pieces?
If the heart breaking death of a
woman had not been reported on mass media, no one would have known about the
real healthcare service quality of the Maria consulting room.
Prior to that, an advertisement
video clip was broadcasted on TV, affirming that this was one of the best
clinics now in Vietnam.
Consumers themselves do not think
that their rights can be protected by the law, once the punishments on
violators are still not heavy enough.
According to Nang Luong Moi, in
2010, Vi Thy Production, Trade and Service Company in Binh Tan district in HCM
City posted an ad piece with the image of a special kind of helmets, affirming
that the helmets can meet the technical standards to be used to protect
motorbike drivers.
Later, the helmets of the company
were found as suitable to bicycle riders only. The manufacturer was then
imposed punishment: Vi Thy had to pay the fine of 27.5 million dong, which was
just double the monthly income of a middle class Vietnamese person in Vietnam.
Cong An Nhan Dan has reported
that the so called “electronic cigarette” has been advertised on many websites
as containing no toxic substances, no cause to cancer and having high
detoxification efficiency.
Hoa, an office worker, said she
could not find any information about any enterprise which was licensed to
import the special products. Hoa has also found out that the products also
contain nicotine. Meanwhile, no agency has come forward to say about the
quality of the products, though the products have been available in Vietnam for
the last four years.
Therefore, in order to protect
themselves, they need to be “smart consumers” instead of expecting the
protection by the law.
Compiled by C. V
Business & Investment Opportunities
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