Supplement Label in Vietnam: What Must Be Printed

Supplement label in Vietnam rules start with three items that a product must generally show: the name of the goods, the company responsible for them with its name and address, and the origin of the goods, though goods made in Vietnam for sale at home may show the place of manufacture instead. Food products, including supplements, must add more. This guide explains each item in plain words, so a buyer can read a label before paying.

This is general information, not medical advice.

The three items a label must generally show

Decree 89/2006/ND-CP is the government rule on the labeling of goods. It was issued on August 30, 2006. It applies to goods sold in Vietnam, and to goods that are imported or exported. Article 11 of the decree sets the core contents for all goods.

First comes the name of the goods. Second comes the responsible party, meaning the organization or person who answers for the goods, with a name and an address. Third comes the origin of the goods. A label missing any of these three is usually incomplete, though goods made in Vietnam for sale at home may show the place of manufacture instead of the origin.

The decree also says label contents must be truthful and clear, and must match the real goods. A label that says one thing while the product is another breaks the rule.

Sources: Decree 89/2006/ND-CP on labeling of goods, Articles 10 and 11.

Extra items for food and supplements

Article 12 of the decree adds items by product type. For food, the label must show the quantity, the date of manufacture and the expiry date. For foodstuffs, the label must also show the ingredients, hygiene and safety information with warnings, and instructions for use and storage.

Read these lines first. The ingredient list tells you what is inside. The dates tell you if the product is fresh. The storage line tells you how to keep it once you open it. If a date is missing, smudged or covered by a sticker, ask the seller why.

The Law on Food Safety adds a rule on shelf life. Under Article 44, a food label must show the shelf life as an expiry date, a "use by" date or a "best before" date, depending on the product.

Sources: Decree 89/2006/ND-CP, Article 12. Law on Food Safety, No. 55/2010/QH12, Article 44.

What the food safety law says about functional foods

The Law on Food Safety was passed by the National Assembly on June 17, 2010. It took effect on July 1, 2011. Many supplements are sold as functional foods. For these, Article 44 requires extra wording on the label. The Vietnamese words "thuc pham chuc nang" must appear, which means functional food.

The law also says a functional food label may not suggest that the product can replace curative medicine. If a label or an advertisement tells you a supplement works in place of a doctor's treatment, treat it as a warning sign. Article 5 of the law bans misleading or untruthful food advertising.

Article 7 asks producers to give adequate and accurate product information on labels and packaging. In short, a label should tell you enough to decide, and it should tell you the truth.

Sources: Law on Food Safety, No. 55/2010/QH12, Articles 5, 7 and 44, and the effective date in Article 71.

Imported supplements and the Vietnamese language

Many supplements in Vietnam are made abroad. The decree says the required label contents must be written in Vietnamese. Some international or scientific names may stay in the original language in certain cases.

If the original label lacks some of the required contents, the importer must add a supplementary label in Vietnamese. That label must match what the original label says. Article 14 also says imported goods must show the name and address of the manufacturer and the name and address of the importer.

When you pick up an imported box, look for two things. Find the Vietnamese label, and check that it names an importer with an address. A foreign-only label with no Vietnamese sticker is a reason to stop and ask questions.

Sources: Decree 89/2006/ND-CP, Articles 9, 10 and 14.

Who sets and checks the rules

Two layers of government matter here. Under Article 21 of the decree, the Ministry of Science and Technology holds unified state management of goods labeling. Provincial and city People's Committees also manage labeling in their own areas.

Under the Law on Food Safety, the Ministry of Health takes the lead on food safety. It covers functional foods, food additives and other foods not assigned to another ministry. So the labeling rule comes from one place, and the food safety rule from another. A good supplement label has to satisfy both.

Sources: Decree 89/2006/ND-CP, Articles 21 to 23. Law on Food Safety, No. 55/2010/QH12, Articles 61 and 62.

A short checklist for buyers

Before you buy, run through this list. Is the product name clear? Is the responsible company named, with an address? Is the origin stated, or for goods made in Vietnam for sale at home, the place of manufacture? Are the quantity, the manufacture date and the expiry date printed? Is there an ingredient list and a storage instruction? Do the words "thuc pham chuc nang" appear if the product is sold as a functional food?

For an imported box, add two more checks. Is the Vietnamese text on the label, and does it name the importer? Finally, be careful with any label that promises to replace medicine. The law does not allow that claim for functional foods.

A complete label does not prove a product is good. It does show the seller followed the basic rules. Keep the box or a photo of the label, because it is your record of what was promised.

Sources

• Decree No. 89/2006/ND-CP of August 30, 2006, on labeling of goods (Government of Vietnam).
• Law on Food Safety, No. 55/2010/QH12, passed by the National Assembly on June 17, 2010 (Articles 5, 7, 44, 61, 62 and 71).