Need to improve the distribution system

People shop at CoopMart supermarket. Photo: QUANG MINH

The recent discovery of mushrooms of unknown origin in the supermarket system has startled many consumers. Supermarkets, once considered the last "lifebuoy" for consumers to cling to in the storm of flooding with poor quality food products, now seem to no longer be a reliable address for product quality.

The "matrix" of consumption

Meeting Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien, a housewife who was shopping for dinner for her family at a supermarket, we heard her share: "Buying food in the supermarket is also to feel more secure, but in reality, we don't know what to do. For example, vegetables are sometimes bought from the market and then washed and put in nice packaging, like the mushrooms of unknown origin on TV. Now we don't know what is "dirty" and what is "clean" anymore."

This is a common concern of most consumers today, but objectively speaking, with strict food safety and hygiene control procedures, supermarket systems still ensure the supply of more than 90% of "clean" food to consumers. However, that is only a glimmer of light in the dark picture, because only about 13% of Hanoi's food and 20% of the whole country's food is supplied by supermarket systems. Meanwhile, more than 85% of people are still buying food at traditional markets... where there are many potential risks of disease from unsafe food.

According to Chairman of the Hanoi Supermarket Association Vu Vinh Phu, it is necessary to clearly understand the problem before coming up with a solution, so we must see what is the cause of the current situation. First is the small, fragmented production system. From breeds to seedlings, from fertilizers to animal feed... everything is spontaneous, lacking investment and strict control. In addition, there are still stories about hoes, plows, vermicelli villages, private slaughterhouses... clearly showing the weakness of facilities and technical level for production and business. "We do not have a complete goods distribution system, from manufacturers to retailers..., everything is fragmented and fragmented.

The packaging labeling process is also incomplete and inconsistent, often lacking information clearly stating who produced, who packaged, who distributed. The awareness of producers and traders is still poor and localized, almost all of them are not aware that their violations of food safety and hygiene are unforgivable "crimes", Chairman of the Hanoi Supermarket Association Vu Vinh Phu expressed indignation.

In addition, according to Mr. Vu Vinh Phu, the issue of food safety control still has many shortcomings, many places still maintain bureaucratic style, work irresponsibly, plus the situation of smuggling and trade fraud is increasing, making the picture of poor quality food more confusing. According to statistics, investment in food safety in our country is still modest. In addition, there is overlapping division of management work, there are up to four ministries responsible: the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, but no agency has the main responsibility and absolute authority. Finally, the organization of implementation of the Law on Food Safety, the Law on Consumer Protection, the Law on Product Quality Management... is still not resolute and has many shortcomings, leading to lax management and lack of awareness of those involved in production and business.

Building a closed production and consumption chain

Returning to the case of mushrooms of unknown origin being consumed in the supermarket system, it can be seen that the connection between the manufacturer and the retail system is still inadequate. The supermarket system has not been able to fully control the quality of food brought into the supermarket because it has not been closely linked with the manufacturers. In reality, many manufacturers have not paid due attention to building a complete distribution system, especially closely linked with retail distribution channels.

To be able to control food quality in the supermarket system as well as traditional markets, the most important thing is to build a closed production chain model from the place of production to the dining table. Chairman Vu Vinh Phu cited an example: water spinach from the field, so standards from seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, cultivation processes, irrigation water, harvesting, packaging, transportation, to the retail stage..., all must be coded with numbers and bars, with clear names and addresses. Any mistakes need to be handled right there, there must be someone responsible. For now, we should only focus and completely solve the six essential items of life: rice, meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, milk; then continue to expand into a complete system.

According to Mr. Phu, it is necessary to fully equip equipment, train human resources, and organize the operating apparatus well to improve the capacity of food safety inspection. Strengthening inspection and control must go hand in hand with cleaning and improving the staff. Each inspector and controller must have enough authority to be able to base on complete criteria and evidence, make independent judgments, and be responsible for their own work. The management focal point also needs to be unified, with only one ministry having the main authority and responsibility, and other ministries only coordinating.

According to the experience of many other countries, the Ministry of Health will be the main authority, making the final decision and being responsible for food safety issues. Finally, it is necessary to enhance the "rights" of the market and consumers. Currently in our country, people are often too "easy" in the issue of consumption. But when the "rights" of consumers are strong enough, poor quality products will be eliminated without the need for intervention from authorities.

According to NDDT