Vietnam Dairy Association: Fake milk can seriously affect consumers’ physical and mental well-being
Recently, there has been an increasing trend of producing and trading counterfeit, pirated, and substandard milk products, with complex and sophisticated developments. This not only affects consumers’ health but also damages the reputation of legitimate businesses and trust in the domestic milk market.
These fake and substandard milk products primarily target children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions. They are mostly consumed through online channels such as e-commerce platforms, social media, and livestreaming, where they are advertised as “miracle cures,” making it challenging for authorities to control.
The Vietnam Dairy Association acknowledges the efforts of the Ministry of Public Security in investigating, prosecuting, and handling many cases of fake milk production. Recently, the Ministry cracked down on two large enterprises involved in producing counterfeit milk—the Hacofood Group Joint Stock Company and the Rance Pharma International Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company. The total value of the seized goods amounted to hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong. These enterprises are not members of the Vietnam Dairy Association.
The Association believes that the production and consumption of fake milk can have severe consequences for consumers’ health, especially for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
Fake milk not only impacts the physical and mental development of children but may also contain harmful substances, leading to poisoning and reduced absorption of essential nutrients.
Moreover, the production and consumption of counterfeit milk erode consumer trust, negatively affect reputable dairy producers, and hinder the development of Vietnam’s dairy industry.
Regarding this matter, the leader of the Food Safety Authority (Ministry of Health) stated that they would review and consolidate information about the case and notify the press as soon as possible.
The Vietnam Dairy Association calls upon the Ministry of Public Security and relevant ministries to strengthen management, inspection, and detection of fake milk production and trading rings nationwide. The Association pledges to cooperate with authorities by providing information, offering professional support, and raising community awareness about the harmful effects of fake milk.
What do advertising doctors have to say about this?
In their promotional videos, the company featured a Professor, former Vice Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, and a doctor, former Director of the Nutrition Center of the National Institute of Nutrition.
In the video, the Professor asserted that the products were manufactured in a factory that met FDA standards, and consumers could “rest assured” about the product’s safety. She also “highly appreciated” Hacofood, stating that it was a factory with stringent standards for food safety management according to FDA regulations.
However, when interviewed by the press, the Professor expressed her surprise and asserted that she was not involved in the production activities. She mentioned that she had visited the factory and witnessed the closed production chain, ensuring hygiene. Nonetheless, she admitted to not reviewing the promotional video before its release.
Meanwhile, the doctor, former Director of the Nutrition Center, introduced the Talacmum milk product in the advertisement. He stated that it was produced at Hacofood and distributed by the International Pharmaceutical Group, with 100% imported raw materials from the Netherlands and Japan. The milk was produced using modern and closed production lines and was advertised as containing extracts of bird’s nest and cordyceps, suitable for both children and adults. However, the initial investigation findings revealed that the products did not contain the declared ingredients.
Additionally, a healthcare worker introduced as a “pediatric specialist from Xanh Pôn Hospital” also participated in the advertisement. However, the leadership of Xanh Pôn Hospital confirmed that this doctor was not on their staff list.
Apart from doctors and nutrition experts, the companies producing fake milk also invited celebrities and MCs to promote these products.
Regarding the discovery of 573 fake milk products, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security has prosecuted and detained eight individuals for producing and trading counterfeit goods and violating accounting regulations, resulting in severe consequences.
According to the authorities, from August 2021 to the present, the subjects established the International Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company and the Hacofood Group Joint Stock Company to produce and trade milk powder. They produced and sold 573 brands of milk powder for people with diabetes, kidney failure, premature babies, pregnant women, etc. Their revenue from these sales amounted to nearly VND 500 billion over four years.
Although these milk brands were advertised as containing extracts of bird’s nest, cordyceps, macca powder, and walnut powder, inspections revealed that the milk produced by the two companies did not contain these ingredients, and the quality was only about 70% of the declared level, sufficient to determine that they were counterfeit. The subjects confessed to replacing some input materials and adding additives.
Over the four years, the revenue from selling these boxes of milk has reached nearly VND 500 billion.
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