Illegal Profits from Food Safety Violations Reach 1,000%: Challenges of Lenient Penalties

In the first six months of 2026, police forces nationwide uncovered and addressed 5,992 organizations and individuals violating food safety laws, an increase of 102% compared to the same period in 2025. Authorities have initiated legal proceedings for 123 cases involving 249 defendants.

Colonel Tran Viet Phuong, Deputy Director of the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department (Ministry of Public Security), stated at the forum 'Preventing Dirty Food - Responsibility and Action' that illicit profits from these violations can reach up to 1,000%. However, current penalties remain too lenient, failing to address the severe impact on the national gene pool, social security, and brand reputation.

Multiple serious cases have been dismantled, including: the use of diseased pork in Hai Phong, Hanoi, and Bac Ninh; the use of 6-benzylaminopurine in bean sprout production in Quang Ninh, Hung Yen, and Ninh Binh; the use of borax in noodle production; and the use of the industrial chemical sodium silicate to process snails in Ho Chi Minh City. Furthermore, incidents involving the production of fake functional foods and supplements in Thanh Hoa, Bac Ninh, and Dak Lak have caused significant public concern.

According to a representative from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the first half of this year, market surveillance forces inspected and handled 2,124 food safety violations, resulting in approximately 16.9 billion VND in fines. Additionally, 424 violations in e-commerce were penalized with 7.9 billion VND. Common violations include trading food with unknown origins, failure to comply with testing and labeling regulations, and improper product declaration.

Experts at the forum highlighted critical loopholes in post-market surveillance. The current self-declaration mechanism under the Food Safety Law lacks pre-market screening, and state management agencies lack defined responsibilities upon receiving declarations. Lax post-market inspection, which often fails to analyze quality indicators, allows many non-compliant products to circulate freely.

The legal framework remains inadequate, particularly regarding the Advertising Law, which fails to deter deceptive advertising, and regulations concerning counterfeit or substandard goods, which lack clear distinctions. This creates loopholes for actors to manipulate origin documentation, significantly hindering the management and enforcement efforts of the authorities.