October 23, 2006

Vinamilk admits label mistakes

Vietnam's leading dairy processor Vinamilk admitted to some mistakes in labelling its fresh milk products but denied it was deliberately misleading consumers.

In a news conference held at Ho Chi Minh City, Vinamilk denied reports that it was selling sterilized reconstituted rather than fresh milk as labelled but said it would change the imprint on the products to shun charges of "consumer deception".

According to company general director Mai Kieu Lien, most of the company's liquid milk products  come from raw fresh milk.

She revealed up 70 to 80 percent of raw fresh milk constitute Vinamilk's "sterilized fresh milk" and even to 99 percent for its "pure sterilized fresh milk", thus, the word "pure" on its label.

An investigation probing the alleged mislabelling has prompted Vinamilk to change "pure sterilized milk" to "non-sugar sterilized fresh milk".

For other products that were not reconstituted from powdered milk, Vinamilk emphasized the raw fresh milk as the major ingredient for its sterilized milk.

Local newspapers last month carried reports that so-called fresh milk brands made by local dairy companies are actually sterilized reconstituted milk, describing it as an act of trade fraud.