Laos orders product labelling in Lao language

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has issued an ordinance on product labelling in Lao language, in order to expand the contents of the Law on Consumer Protection.
The ordinance aims to increase the understanding of local authorities in terms of their duties in administrating and following up product labelling in Lao language.
It also focuses on encouraging domestic manufacturers and importers to label products in Lao language prior to distribution as well as to increase consumers' understanding about the benefits and quality of products before purchasing them.
This aims to help consumers avoid buying low quality products, expired products or deteriorating products and to prevent deleterious effects on the health and property of consumers and the environment.
The order requires labelling on products in Lao language with the following contents: type or category of product, trademark as registered by manufacturer and/or importer, address of the producer and/or importer for distribution, country of origin and price, quantity, weight, quality, mass, ingredients, directions for use, warnings, date of manufacture, and date of expiry.
For products that had already been manufactured or imported before the promulgation of this regulation, retailers are required to coordinate with suppliers to obtain Lao labels. Each provincial industry and commerce department should direct its provincial chamber of commerce and industry to bring this ordinance to announce to domestic importers and entrepreneurs for implementation, the Domestic Trade Department's Director General, Bounthien Keosipha told Vientiane Times yesterday.
The department, on behalf of the main party of the ministry, is responsible to expand this ordinance and the planning to monitor this work towards high effectiveness, he said.
The department should inform its plans to the provincial industry and commerce authorities and domestic import entrepreneurs to follow, Bounthien said.
The department will also hold discussions with the relevant sector in relation to the design of the labeling, he added.
Different import products in Laos are still labeled in foreign languages as the country does not have measures to monitor imports while some products may low quality or expired. The issue is a risk for local people's health within the country and those whose don't understand foreign languages.