The government will set up a National Commission for Consumer Protection to implement the Consumer Protection Act, which is aimed at promoting integrity in competition and trade.
Phan Oun, director-general of the Ministry of Commerce’s General Department of Consumer Protection, Competition and Fraud Prevention, told The Post on Tuesday that the ministry plans to discuss the draft Sub-decree on the organisation and function of the National Commission for Consumer Protection this week.
“The department has already drafted the sub-decree and we will discuss it within the ministry on Friday. After that, we will submit it to the Council of Ministers for review and approval,” he said.
The Law on Consumer Protection was introduced on November 2, 2019 and contains 11 chapters and 51 articles.
The purpose of the law, according to proponents, is to determine the measures and mechanisms that contribute to an improved trade environment and protects the rights and interests of consumers.
The law applies to all entities doing business, whether for profit or non-profit, including sales of goods, services or real estate, unless otherwise noted exempt by other regulations.
Keo Mom, general director of Ly Ly Food Industry Co Ltd, one of the Kingdom’s largest food processing factories, told The Post that the law would help curb imports of counterfeit food products and protect consumer health and safety.
She said the law would also encourage local companies to increase quality and hygiene standards.
“We can see that poor quality food products make their way into the Kingdom, and that has a significant impact on people’s health. So my company, which produces snacks, focuses on safety and quality first,” she said.
Imports of fake and unhealthy food products would hurt the local market, she said. “Our control over the situation is still limited, and it could affect people’s livelihoods.
“The ministry must further restrict imports of poor quality snacks at the border,” she said.
