Bans on alcohol advertising and promotion remain inconsistent: lawyer

How will control of alcohol consumption affect Vietnam’s economy?

Tightened control over alcohol adverts

The Vietnam Beer Alcohol and Beverage Association has recommended abolishing the regulation that star-ranked hotels and tourist sites have to be licensed for selling alcohol products

However, the Ministry of Industry and Trade have opposed the idea.

The government held a meeting to discuss the difficulties facing businesses in terms of administrative procedures on Monday chaired by Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung.

One of the issues mentioned at the event is alcohol sale at hotels and tourist sites which have secured star ranking.

According to the Vietnam Beer Alcohol and Beverage Association, the regulation is not stipulated in the 2017 Law on Tourism. Besides, seeking the licence for alcohol sale has added more administrative pressures for hotels.

However, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An said that it was not sure that all five-star hotels sell genuine alcohol products. In reality, alcohol sales are profitable, so hotels can take advantage of legal loopholes to make profits.

It is essential to request tourist facilities to pledge for the alcohol sale of clear origin to avoid health risks for users, An suggested.

However, the Government Office’s Minister and Chairman Mai Tien Dung said that it was unnecessary for tourist facilities to have a licence but they should have to show their commitment to sell alcohol of clear origin.

According to Dung, under Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s instruction, administrative procedures for businesses need to be simplified.

At the meeting, the Ministry of Industry and Trade also proposed tighter control over the online alcohol sale.

At present, people aged below 15 are banned from online alcohol purchases, but the ministry said that how to make sure that their age is right or many of them try to lie about their age to buy alcohol.

Dung said that the Ministry of Health’s draft law on alcohol use had been submitted to the National Assembly for consideration. VIR