Since its establishment (in 2002), provincial Consumer’s Interests Protection Association (CIPA) has handled hundreds of complaints related to goods and services quality. Many successful cases have contributed to reducing trade frauds, raise awareness, protection for legitimate rights, interests of consumers.
Successful mediation of complaints
In August 2014, CIPA – TDM City branch mediated successfully product complaint from a consumer in Phu Hoa ward, TDM City of liquid milk of 110ml carton labeled M. to have sour smell produced by N. milk company. At the mediation meeting, after a clear analysis of reasons, N. milk company apologized and corrected their mistakes. The consumer said, thanks to provincial CIPA, the company listened to opinions of consumers, took promptly corrective action.
Provincial Consumer’s Interests Protection Association cooperated with Vinamilk to hold a workshop of Law on Consumer’s Interests Protection and healthcare for the elderly.
In April 2015, Mr. Ta Van An living in An Binh commune, Phu Giao district complained (via phone) to CIPA – Di An town branch that he won a prize of VND100 million when buying a Unif instant noodle box of Tribeco Binh Duong Company, but the company refuse to give him this reward, because there was no stamp and signature of the distributing company in the box. Then provincial CIPA claimed that this was the fault of the company, not of the consumer. Due to reasonable explanations, Tribeco Binh Duong Company agreed to award more than VND50 million.
These above are just two of many typical complaints in the province about goods and services quality. These were solved satisfactorily by provincial CIPA.
Strengthening propaganda
Mr. Nguyen Van Ban, Chairman of provincial CIPA, said, in recent years, the association received and resolved hundreds of consumer’s complaints about food, electronics goods, maintenance services... In general, most cases were successfully mediated. Due to efforts in propaganda, consultation, mediation, in two recent years, the number of complaints sent to provincial CIPA has been decreasing.
According to Mr. Ban, to solve successfully cases, apart from the close coordination with relevant units, mediators need acumen to understand consumer’s needs, and what are errors of producer. Mediators have to be flexible in order for two parties reach an agreement.
However, according to surveys of provincial CIPA, consumers are still afraid of making complaints, because the damage value is not large; they are afraid of going to authorities; they think that authorities would not solve their complaints… According to provincial CIPA, they have strengthened propaganda, encouraged consumer’s complaints of low-quality products or services. Moreover, consumers do not have to incur any fees to make complaints; the association will solve satisfactorily any complaints.
“We want to become a bridge between consumers and producers, businesses in the province to help the two parties in understanding each other, thereby contributing to stabilizing social order and security, managing effectively quality of goods and services”, said Mr. Ban.
Reported by T.Huynh – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
