Other BriefingsAmended Law on Products and Goods Quality: Enhancing Traceability and Compliance
Vietnam’s revised Law on Product and Goods Quality, effective January 2026, introduces digital passports, stricter e-commerce oversight, and risk-based inspections to enhance product traceability and compliance.
Vietnam’s National Assembly passed amendments to the Law on Product and Goods Quality on June 18, 2024. Backed by 408 out of 420 deputies, the amended law will come into effect from January 1, 2026. The revised law introduces changes across consumer protection and penalties for non-compliance.
Disclaimer: The official legal text has not yet been released. This article is based on public summaries and government announcements. Updates will be made once the final law is published.
Risk-based classification replaces blanket inspections
Under Article 5, products and goods will now be classified into three tiers: low, medium, and high risk. Evaluation criteria include potential harm to human health, environmental risks, traceability challenges, and international alerts.
This risk-based structure is designed to allow state resources to focus on higher-risk categories, while easing compliance burdens on businesses that produce low-risk goods. The change is also expected to create a more predictable framework for foreign companies exporting into Vietnam.
Digital product passports and traceability take center stage
The amended law formally introduces the concept of a digital product passport under Clause 8, Article 3. This passport is a structured set of supply chain data, origin, ingredients, and production methods, stored in barcodes or similar digital forms, allowing easy access and verification through electronic devices.
As outlined in Article 6d, traceability becomes mandatory for all high-risk products. The Ministry of Science and Technology will develop a phased implementation roadmap in collaboration with relevant agencies.
E-commerce platforms held directly accountable
In light of booming online commerce, the revised law introduces Article 34b, which spells out strict quality requirements for goods sold via digital platforms. E-commerce operators must ensure full disclosure of information such as product origin, usage instructions, and safety warnings. They are also required to implement systems for addressing consumer complaints and coordinate with state agencies on violations.
This is a marked departure from the earlier framework, where responsibility primarily rested with sellers. Platforms are now required to verify seller identities, enforce data accuracy, and use digital tools to proactively detect violations. In cases of continued non-compliance, they will be held jointly liable alongside the seller.
Local authorities granted enforcement roles
The law decentralizes quality oversight by giving commune-level People’s Committees the authority to manage product quality within their jurisdictions. This move aligns with Vietnam’s broader governance reform strategy, which seeks to bring service delivery and enforcement closer to local communities.
Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung earlier emphasized the importance of grassroots monitoring as e-commerce and digital trade become more embedded in daily life.
Penalties increase, legal enforcement gets sharper
The revised law imposes stiffer penalties for violations, expanding the scope beyond administrative fines. Companies found guilty of misleading declarations or distributing substandard products may now face criminal prosecution, revocation of business licenses, and public blacklisting on national digital portals.
For entities using self-declaration processes to certify product standards, fraudulent submissions will trigger stricter consequences, including a suspension of self-certification rights.
The law also enables social organizations to file class-action lawsuits against companies whose actions result in large-scale consumer harm. This shift, codified in the amended Section 2 of Chapter II, reflects Vietnam’s effort to build a more participatory model of consumer protection.
Supply chain responsibility becomes legally binding
Under the new legal framework, all entities involved in the product life cycle, manufacturers, importers, distributors, and digital platforms, bear defined legal obligations. Article 23 clarifies that those who fail to meet declared standards must compensate consumers either through negotiation or court-mandated settlements.
Dispute resolution agencies must now report confirmed violations to management authorities, allowing faster enforcement and the triggering of broader risk alerts. This coordination is part of a new national quality monitoring system that integrates customs data, inspection results, consumer feedback, and international warnings.
National coordination to unify quality infrastructure
The law introduces Articles 6a and 6b, which assign the Ministry of Science and Technology the role of lead coordinator for national product quality management. These articles mandate that ministries and state agencies must share data to support unified inspections and oversight.
A central digital platform is being developed to support this integration, combining product registration, compliance monitoring, and traceability. The aim is to eliminate data silos and increase the responsiveness of Vietnam’s quality control mechanisms.
Outlook
From 2026, domestic and foreign businesses operating in Vietnam will face tighter scrutiny, especially if they handle high-risk products or rely heavily on digital platforms.
Investors and manufacturers can start preparing for compliance audits, data reporting obligations, and platform accountability clauses.
Read more: Vietnam's Tax and Transfer Pricing Compliance: New Regulations in VAT Law
This article first appeared on Vietnam Briefing, our sister platform.
