Many shops selling fashion goods, watches and medicines in markets in HCMC and Hanoi have shut down as authorities ramp up raids to root out counterfeits.
In HCMC, a large number of stalls closed this week at popular shopping places like Saigon Square in District 1, An Dong Plaza in District 5 and the Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Trading Center in District 10.
The owners wandered around in the markets to monitor the situation but did not open them for fear of being busted for selling fakes.
At shops that did remain open in Saigon Square, business was sluggish.
“The number of visitors has plunged, and most of them only looked and did not buy,” Hang, a vendor, said, adding that both customers and sellers are wary.
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Shops closed at An Dong Market in Ho Chi Minh City on June 3, 2025. Photo by Read/Thanh Tung |
Hanoi’s Vinh Phat Market, a key suburban hub for clothing and fabric trade, has been unusually quiet this week, with many shops closed and some even covering up their phone number signs to avoid being contacted.
Market authorities had carried out several raids at the end of May.
Inspectors have found in HCMC thousands of products carrying names of luxury brands such as Rolex, Channel and Gucci without sellers being able to furnish documents for their authenticity.
Their prices were much lower than those of genuine products.
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Low activity was seen at Vinh Phat Market in Hanoi on June 3, 2025. Photo by Read/Hoang Giang |
Managers of Ben Thanh Market in HCMC said fully controlling counterfeit goods is difficult without addressing cross-border smuggling.
Managers of other markets said while the crackdown aims to protect consumers and uphold the laws, it places pressure on small vendors lacking invoices or legal expertise.
Vendors at major markets said they are unable to meet requirements due to lack of resources since they have to keep prices low to retain customers, which also means they could not sell genuine goods.
