Vietnam Suspends Food Safety Rules After 10-Day Implementation Crisis
Vietnam halts new food safety regulations after 10 days due to port congestion and 1,800+ stranded containers. Industry backlash forces 70-day suspension, signaling implementation risks for B2B sup...
Vietnam's government suspended new food safety regulations for 70 days on February 5, just 10 days after implementation, following intense industry backlash over port congestion that stranded more than 1,800 containers at Cat Lai port alone.
Immediate Crisis Forces Policy Reversal
The regulations, known as Decree 46 and Resolution 66.13, took effect January 26, 2026, overhauling licensing, inspection, and testing requirements for imported food and ingredients. Between January 26 and 29, over 700 import shipments totaling approximately 300,000 tonnes became stranded at ports and border checkpoints nationwide. By February 4, the backlog at Cat Lai port in Ho Chi Minh City had grown to more than 1,800 containers unable to clear customs due to missing documentation.
The timing amplified the disruption. Implementation occurred just before Tet (Lunar New Year), Vietnam's busiest food consumption period, when imports peak and businesses operate on tight inventory schedules. The Vietnam Logistics Business Association sent an urgent letter to senior government leaders describing widespread congestion and severe disruptions. "The difficulties are not just compliance-related. They reflect the system's inability to absorb the new requirements in such a short timeframe," the association stated.
The Vietnam Dairy Association requested on January 30 that inspections continue under previous 2018 rules for at least six more months, noting "custom clearance times have been prolonged without delivering clear improvements in food safety."
Industry Criticizes Implementation Approach
Provincial authorities received responsibility for food inspections under the new framework but lacked unified guidance on procedures. Testing laboratories temporarily stopped accepting new applications due to overwhelming demand, revealing infrastructure inadequacy. Businesses complained that mandatory testing applied to previously exempt products, and requirements for Vietnamese government-issued certificates persisted even when international standards like ISO or HACCP existed.
Vu Kim Hanh, chair of the High-Quality Vietnamese Goods Business Association, called the certification requirement "precisely a trade barrier and institutional bottleneck." The criticism highlighted how overseas factories with internationally recognized standards faced redundant compliance burdens under the new system.
Following mounting pressure, Prime Minister's dispatch No. 08/CD-TTg on February 3 directed ministries to resolve bottlenecks through coordination and technical support. Two days later, the government announced the 70-day suspension until April 16, requiring all implementation guidance to be finalized within that period.
Market Consolidation Expected
The regulations followed serious food safety scandals involving contaminated pork, tainted noodles, and fake coffee that eroded public confidence. However, insufficient inspection capacity compounded implementation problems rather than solving underlying safety concerns.
Damien Yeo, Asia-Pacific senior analyst at Fitch Solutions, predicts near-term food price volatility, potential shortages, and higher logistics costs. "Greater consolidation is a plausible medium-term outcome," Yeo stated, noting larger retailers can absorb compliance costs while smaller businesses face exit or absorption into larger supply chains.
The crisis mirrors broader patterns across Asian policy implementation where connecting with key audiences occurs but feedback doesn't influence timelines or procedures. The Food Safety Technical Working Group held its fourth meeting December 5, 2025, involving ministries, provinces, international organizations including FAO, and private sector representatives to outline 2026 to 2030 priorities. Despite this multi-audience platform, the January implementation crisis proceeded unchecked.
The 70-day suspension provides breathing room for finalizing guidance, expanding testing infrastructure, and coordinating provincial authorities. Whether Vietnam's government uses this period to build genuine dialogue mechanisms with businesses remains uncertain as the April 16 deadline approaches.
Want to stay up-to-date on the stories shaping Asia's media, marketing, and comms industry? Subscribe to Mission Media for exclusive insights, campaign deep-dives, and actionable intel.
