Labelling & claims

Labelling of dietary supplements and health-protection foods is governed by two parallel rule-sets: • Decree 43/2017/NĐ-CP on labelling of goods — the general framework for commercial goods sold in Vietnam, including mandatory Vietnamese language for labels, required commercial information, and rules on supplementary languages. • Circular 43/2014/TT-BYT — sector-specific rules for functional-food labels: product classification, recommended dosage, target user, conditions of use, and the mandatory disclaimer for TPBVSK. Mandatory items on a TPBVSK label include: product name; ingredient list with quantitative declaration of active components; net content; intended use and recommended dosage; manufacturer and importer name and address; country of origin; batch number; date of manufacture and expiry; storage conditions; registration-declaration certificate number issued by VFA; and the mandatory disclaimer "Thực phẩm này không phải là thuốc và không có tác dụng thay thế thuốc chữa bệnh" (This product is not a drug and is not intended to replace any drug), in legible contrasting text. Claims permitted on labels are limited to those approved in the registered declaration. Disease-treatment, disease-prevention, or "cure" claims are prohibited. Comparative claims against medicines are prohibited. Any health claim must be backed by the scientific evidence submitted in the dossier.

General labelling framework: • Decree 43/2017/NĐ-CP — issued 14 April 2017. Mandatory labelling content for goods sold in Vietnam, Vietnamese-language requirement, and rules for supplementary languages. Subsequently amended on technical details. Sector-specific (functional foods): • Circular 43/2014/TT-BYT — labelling chapter sets dosage, target-user, and conditions-of-use requirements for functional foods. Mandatory disclaimer for TPBVSK: • Decree 181/2013/NĐ-CP (Article 5) — first introduced the wording "Thực phẩm này không phải là thuốc và không có tác dụng thay thế thuốc chữa bệnh" for both labels and advertising. The wording is repeated in Circular 43/2014/TT-BYT for labelling. Claim substantiation: • Decree 15/2018/NĐ-CP — the registered-declaration dossier must include scientific evidence supporting any claimed effect; only the approved claims may appear on the label.

2024–2025 — Online listing labelling: VFA reminded e-commerce platforms and sellers that product listings online are treated as labels for enforcement purposes; the mandatory disclaimer and registration-certificate number must be visible on listing pages and sales videos. 2022 — Updated alignment with Decree 43/2017: MOH and the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued joint guidance reminding businesses that the supplementary-language and origin-marking rules under Decree 43/2017 apply alongside the sector-specific rules in Circular 43/2014. Standing — Mandatory disclaimer enforcement: VFA continues to issue warnings and fines for TPBVSK labels and listings that omit, hide, or visually de-emphasise the mandatory "Thực phẩm này không phải là thuốc…" disclaimer.