Authorities recently dismantled a ring that manufactured and distributed 573 different types of counterfeit powdered milk. Photo from Vietnam Television

Khánh Dương

HÀ NỘI — The trust of many Vietnamese consumers has crumbled after discovering that they and their families have been consuming counterfeit milk for years.

The Ministry of Public Security recently dismantled a ring that manufactured and distributed 573 different types of counterfeit powdered milk.

Over the previous four years, their products have targeted those with diabetes and kidney disease as well as premature infants and pregnant women, generating over VNĐ500 billion in revenue.

The milk was advertised as containing bird's nest extract, cordyceps, macadamia powder and walnut powder. However, none of these components were really present.

The suspects are accused of eliminating some of the original substances and replacing them with other additives.

According to the authorities, powdered milk is defined as counterfeit if it contains less than 70 per cent of its reported ingredients.

Thu Hà, a well-known news presenter, was outraged to learn that the NitroGen milk she purchased for her husband after his brain surgery was suspected to be counterfeit, manufactured by one of the recently busted companies.

"Did my husband suffer any health repercussions from consuming this milk? Who will take responsibility for compensating consumers for the material, health and emotional harm caused by counterfeit goods?" she wrote on Facebook.

Local media also reported that a Hà Nội resident's daughter, Trần Bảo Linh, complained on social media after her mother drank Hofumil Gold Plus milk immediately after thyroid surgery at a central hospital in Hà Nội.

The milk is produced by Rance Pharma International Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company — one of the companies involved in the counterfeit milk operation — and was supplied to the hospital through a public bidding process. The firm won the contract, pricing the product at nearly VNĐ1 million per can.

The hospital has since recalled the milk and is conducting an investigation, stating that “the hospital is also a victim, just like other organisations and consumers”.

These are just two of hundreds of stories shared by victims over the last few days.

It was only after authorities revealed the list of counterfeit brands during the raids that many people realised they were victims.

A mother who did not want to be identified told Việt Nam News that she had a postpartum hemorrhage and was told by a doctor at a maternity and children's hospital to go to a nearby pharmacy and buy a nutritional supplement milk.

Most postpartum mothers were instructed to go there to purchase the milk, she said.

"I just knew it was fake milk. I'm so disappointed," she added.

A couple from Yên Bái Province were shocked to learn that their children had been consuming counterfeit milk for over a year.

Their two children, in grades 5 and 7, are shorter and smaller than their peers, so the parents added formula milk to their diet, hoping it would help them develop during puberty.

The parents chose the product Morkid after it was advertised as being made from 100 per cent imported colostrum with bird’s nest extract, claiming to help children aged one to 15 gain weight, boost immunity and develop fully.

The father explained that his family wasn’t drawn in by promotions or free gifts, as the product cost nearly half a million đồng. After discovering the milk was counterfeit, they spoke with the seller, but did not receive a satisfactory response.

"We just hope these kinds of products are permanently removed from the market so that no other child has to drink them again," the man, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

Dr Phan Thái Tân, a nutrition expert who graduated from HCM City’s University of Medicine and Pharmacy and the US Institute for Integrative Nutrition, has done extensive research on counterfeit milk victims.

He said: "In one example, a woman drank milk to relieve her joint and bone discomfort. After only one week of drinking it, the pain was completely gone. So she considered purchasing one for her mother as well, as her mother suffers from joint problems.”

"When she asked, I said it's quite possible that the milk was laced with corticosteroids, which is why the effects worked so quickly. There's no normal milk that can produce such results.”

"Counterfeit milk targets vulnerable groups such as newborns, pregnant women and those with illnesses. Drinking this type of milk is risky — if you're unfortunate, it could possibly worsen your health condition,” Tân told Việt Nam News.

“If healthy people who don’t have liver or kidney issues drink the fake milk, maybe we’d just get a stomach ache or something. But for vulnerable people, drinking counterfeit milk could literally kill them,” he said.

According to health experts, children consuming counterfeit milk for a long time may become malnourished or show signs of delayed intellectual development, disruption of gut microbiota or weakened immunity, while pregnant women may face the risk of micronutrient deficiencies, gestational diabetes and potential harm to the foetus.

A few counterfeit milk brands among nearly 600 names recently busted by police.

Dr Trương Hồng Sơn, director of the Việt Nam Institute of Applied Medicine, said: “Consumers are misled by the nutritional information printed on the packaging of counterfeit milk, which leads them to believe they’re getting enough nutrients and therefore don’t need to supplement from other food sources.”

He emphasised that there will definitely be more in-depth evaluations soon on what is included in the counterfeit powder milk — for example, to analyse the actual protein content and whether the proteins are beneficial or not.

“Thorough testing will certainly be conducted. Once that’s done, we’ll clearly see how these products affect our health,” he said.

In the market

Dr Tân said the fake cans of milk have been distributed through small pharmacies in rural areas, medical seminars, hospitals and local convenience stores. These types of counterfeit or low-quality milk products cannot make their way into major supermarkets.

Thanh Niên (Young People) newspaper reported that milk retailers are provided significant discount policies ranging from 40 per cent to 60 per cent, excluding gift programmes for customer appreciation at end-of-year holidays and festivals. This is double the standard discount rate.

The responsibility for managing counterfeit milk, whether it falls under the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, or local authorities, has yet to be determined.

This shows a gap in oversight and inspection as well as a lack of coordination between the healthcare, trade and market surveillance sectors.

Consumers should speak up

Vice President of the Việt Nam Consumer Protection Association Vũ Văn Trung said: “When incidents occur, consumers should speak up in order to be protected.”

“Consumers have the right to report to the Việt Nam Consumer Protection Association with evidence. We have a central system as well as local associations across the country. We are ready to receive consumer complaints about counterfeit goods,” he told Việt Nam News.

He said that after collecting complaints, the association will review the matter within its authority and function and ask milk suppliers to provide a satisfactory resolution for consumers.

“We will also make recommendations to the manufacturing and business establishments that have unfortunately sold counterfeit milk, urging them to take corrective measures to minimise the damage caused to consumers,” he said.

“I believe what is most needed right now is for State management agencies — such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Trade — to take action to bring trust to customers.”

Trung said to combat counterfeit, imitation and low-quality goods, the association has offered consultation on both sides – consumers and manufacturers.

“We have continuously carried out public awareness campaigns to help consumers avoid being deceived by misleading advertisements that do not reflect the truth. We have also raised awareness among manufacturers and businesses about their corporate social responsibility.”

He advised customers to buy products from reputable supermarket chains or stores, not unknown and unbranded products sold at traditional markets.

Under the perspective of a customer, Dr Tân said: "I hope that soon there will be official channels from the Government where we can look up authentic products.”

"For example, by typing in a brand name, we could access information such as packaging, registration details or nutritional content. This would confirm that the product has been certified by the relevant authorities, especially for items like milk, dietary supplements, cosmetics, health products and medicines — the five categories most commonly counterfeited," he said. — VNS