Tet Gift Basket Checklist: Labels, Dates and Sellers

Tet gift basket buyers should check three things before paying: the Vietnamese label, the dates on every item, and who is selling it. Tet falls on February 10 this year, so the busiest buying days are close. Rushed shoppers miss the small print. This short checklist takes a few minutes per basket.

Check the label first

Look at each item inside the basket, not only the box. Packaged food must show a label. Under the national labeling decree, the required label contents have to be in Vietnamese.

Three things must generally appear on a label. They are the name of the goods, the name and address of the maker or the party responsible, and where the goods come from. Goods made in Vietnam for sale at home may show the place of manufacture instead of the origin. If one is missing, ask the seller why.

Imported snacks, biscuits and drinks often come with foreign labels only. The decree says imported goods that lack the Vietnamese details must come with a supplementary label that shows them. Ask to see it.

Sources: Decree No. 89/2006/ND-CP on the labeling of goods, 30 August 2006 (English text).

Read the dates on every item

Find the production date and the expiry date or shelf life on each product. The decree sets the order as day, month, year. A date such as 05 02 2013 should read as 5 February 2013.

Do the math. A basket packed in January may hold items that expire in March. Tet gifts often sit on a shelf for weeks before they are given. Pick items with a long shelf life, or give the basket within a day or two.

If a date is hard to read or unclear, ask the seller to show you the date on the pack before you pay.

The food safety law bans trading food that has passed its shelf life. If you spot one expired item, put the whole basket back and check the others on the shelf.

Sources: Decree No. 89/2006/ND-CP on the labeling of goods, 30 August 2006 (English text). Law on Food Safety No. 55/2010/QH12 (English text).

Ask who is selling and who packed it

A basket is a bundle of products from many makers. The seller or packer chose them. Ask for the packer's name, address and phone number. A real business can give you these in a few seconds.

The food safety law expects traders to know where their food came from. It says traders must check food origin, labels and safety papers, and keep records on the food. A good seller can say which shop or supplier each item came from.

Be careful with unmarked goods. Loose nuts, candied fruit or home-made sweets can be fine, but ask where they were made and when. If the seller cannot say, skip that item.

Sources: Law on Food Safety No. 55/2010/QH12 (English text).

Inspect the basket itself

Look at the packaging. Torn wrapping, dented tins, swollen packs and loose lids are all warning signs. Check that seals are whole and nothing has leaked.

Open a few packs in the shop if the seller allows it, or at least feel for damage. Check that the items match the list you were promised. Count them.

Pick a basket that can be kept cool and dry. Food stored in a hot car or a sunny shop window spoils faster. Keep it out of the sun until you hand it over.

Sources: General shopping practice. For label and date rules, see the decree and law cited above.

Keep proof of what you bought

Ask for a receipt that lists the items, the date and the seller's name. Take a phone photo of the labels before you wrap the basket as a gift. If a problem comes up later, you have proof of what you bought and when.

If something is wrong, go back to the seller first and show the receipt and photos. Do this quickly. Waiting until after the holiday makes it harder to settle.

A final tip for gift givers: write the expiry dates on a small card inside the basket. The person who receives it can then enjoy the gift in good time. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources: General shopping practice.

Quick checklist

• Vietnamese label on every item
• Name of the goods, name and address of the party responsible, and origin shown (goods made in Vietnam for sale at home may show the place of manufacture instead)
• Production date and expiry date in day, month, year order
• Enough shelf life for the gift to be enjoyed
• Seller and packer details, plus a receipt

Sources

• Government of Vietnam, Decree No. 89/2006/ND-CP on the labeling of goods, 30 August 2006.
• National Assembly of Vietnam, Law on Food Safety No. 55/2010/QH12, in force from 1 July 2011.