Holding a bottle of wine or a package of Ngoc Linh ginseng tea in their hands, even market surveillance officers cannot determine solely by looking at the labels whether the product genuinely contains Ngoc Linh ginseng.

That was the statement made by Tran Huu Linh, Director General of the Domestic Market Management and Development Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), at the seminar "Traceability - A Shield Protecting Businesses and Consumers," held in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of September 9.

According to Linh, traceability is being discussed extensively, but the understanding and implementation methods among enterprises still vary widely. Not a few businesses still consider it simply a matter of sticking stamps or attaching QR codes to packaging.

"Over recent times, traceability has sometimes become a trend where products simply must have some code slapped onto them so they look modern at a glance," Linh said.

Notably, through purchasing and tracing several products such as wine, confectionery, and fruit in practice, Linh pointed out that in some cases, information was merely copied, or businesses acted out of mere formality. QR codes are placed on products, but when scanned, they only lead to very basic information with little value.

Having a QR code does not necessarily mean traceability

According to Linh, a QR code is merely a tool to deliver information to consumers. The mere presence of a QR code on a product does not mean the product has a true traceability system.

True traceability must help businesses manage the formation and distribution of products—from raw materials and production all the way to when goods reach consumers.

"A QR code is only truly meaningful when behind it lies a database system built and managed transparently by the enterprise, capable of providing information on the product's formation process," Linh emphasized.

Meanwhile, there are currently QR codes that, when scanned, only direct users to a product introduction page or promotional information. In some cases, the codes fail to provide critical data such as where the raw materials came from, when they were produced, which batch they belong to, and which entity is responsible.

This renders traceability purely formal. Consumers may see a product with a QR code and feel more secure, yet they lack sufficient data to verify its true origin.

According to Linh, this situation also creates difficulties for functional forces. When inspecting goods, if traceability data is incomplete, regulatory agencies find it very difficult to trace the product's journey, especially for items directly related to consumer health.

Take Ngoc Linh ginseng wine as an example. Currently, many products are advertised as Ngoc Linh ginseng wine, but merely looking at the wine bottle, market surveillance forces cannot determine whether the product actually uses Ngoc Linh ginseng.

"To manage effectively, there must be regulations and a basis to determine the origin and quality of the product," Linh said.

Traceability must truly begin with data

From the perspective of a solution provider, Pham Van Quan, Chairman of Checkee Technology Joint Stock Company, stated that traceability must first correctly identify the product. Following that comes information management and tracking the product's lifecycle from production and distribution to the consumer's hands.

According to Quan, data is the foundation of a traceability system. Data must be stored in accordance with national regulations and standards, ensuring uniformity and availability for verification and cross-referencing when needed.

"Traceability should not stop at having a code for consumers to scan; more importantly, behind that code must lie a complete, accurate database system that reflects the product's lifecycle," Quan said.

Meanwhile, Hoang Thi Thu Giang, Chairwoman and CEO of New Beverage Joint Stock Company, noted that the wine industry remains a sector with weak traceability levels. Roughly 90% of wine on the Vietnamese market currently lacks a clearly identified origin.

Giang argued that legitimate businesses need protection when they transparently disclose raw materials, production processes, and product information. Conversely, those intentionally dealing in origin-unknown goods must be severely penalized.

Regarding the legal framework, Tran Huu Linh also shared that the State is gradually refining regulations on traceability, which will specify mandatory product groups and information that businesses must publicly disclose.

For mandatory items, functional authorities can inspect the traceability mechanism on the product, scanning QR codes or barcodes to cross-reference the provided information with legal requirements.

This is why businesses need to prepare early, rather than waiting until regulations become mandatory to start implementing them.

According to Linh, in the long run, product management trends will increasingly tie into digital identity and data. Traceability should therefore not be viewed as just a stamp or a QR code on packaging.

"The effectiveness of traceability stems from a business's commitment. When enterprises genuinely want to act, wanting to protect their brand and products, traceability can truly unleash its value," Linh emphasized.

Source: Dan Tri