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| Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long speaks at the meeting on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo |
HÀ NỘI — Efforts to prevent food safety violations need to be intensified, and detected violations must be dealt with strictly, urged Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long.
Deputy PM Long, who also serves as the Head of the Central Interagency Steering Committee on Food Safety, was talking during the committee's annual review of 2024 activities, on Thursday.
A report presented by Ministry of Health's representative revealed that in 2024, authorities inspected 354,820 food-serving spaces, uncovering violations in 22,073, accounting for 6.22 per cent of those inspected.
Fines were issued to 6,658, totalling more than VNĐ33.5 billion (US$1.3 million). This marked a significant increase, with the number of facilities being fined rising nearly threefold, and monetary penalties increasing by 1.69 times compared to 2023.
The police also played a critical role, investigating 8,959 cases of food safety law violations, up 26 per cent year-on-year. These efforts led to the prosecution of 62 cases and 97 individuals.
Authorities at all levels worked to detect and address violations promptly, using various legal measures and ensuring public transparency through the media to help citizens make safer food choices.
Despite these efforts, he acknowledged that current inspection and post-inspection measures still fall short of meeting practical demands.
Moreover the rise in online and e-commerce food sales presents unique challenges, as the lack of fixed business locations and anonymity complicates efforts to trace the origin and quality of products.
To address this, several committee members emphasised the need for digital transformation and the creation of a comprehensive database on food safety. Deputy Minister of Health Đỗ Xuân Tuyên noted that the ministry has already begun developing this database and called on other ministries and agencies to contribute.
Addressing the meeting, which also outlined key priorities for 2025, Lieutenant General Trần Minh Lệ, Director of the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department, emphasised that prevention remains the most effective approach to ensuring food safety.
He also called for stricter penalties for violations, highlighting the importance of enforcement in deterring breaches of food safety regulations.
In his concluding remarks, Deputy PM Long commended the progress made in policy development, enforcement and public education on food safety.
However, he pointed out ongoing issues, including the increasing number of violations and the slow implementation of some policies.
For 2025, the Deputy Prime Minister outlined key priorities, including strengthening preventive measures to minimise violations and expanding communication efforts to educate citizens about penalties and food safety regulations.
Additionally, he called for revisions to legal frameworks, including updating Decree 15/2018/ND-CP and amending the Food Safety Law.
The Deputy PM stressed the importance of digital transformation in food safety, urging the Ministry of Health to prepare detailed reports and organise specialised meetings on connecting data across agencies.
As the Tết (Lunar New Year) approaches, he directed local authorities and relevant agencies to intensify their efforts to ensure food safety during the festive season. — VNS
