In brief
Vietnam’s police raided warehouses in Ho Chi Minh City early this year, seizeing 23,000 counterfeit slippers costing over 57,000 £. The national anti‑IP push launched in May includes 1,400 cases and a crackdown on gloves, bags and watches. Despite heavy fines, vendors insist the raids are temporary and knock‑offs remain popular, especially among low‑income buyers. While local designers say the busts could level the playing field, researchers warn that the demand for affordable imitators will persist, ensuring the counterfeit trade adapts and survives.
When police rolled up the doors of two warehouses on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, they found a trove of counterfeit slippers stamped with Nike, Adidas, Crocs, and Gucci logos.
The 23,000 pairs of barefoot knacks, worth about 57,000 £, proved the latest in a country nicknamed a hub for cheap knock‑offs. The market still sells fakes next‑door in Ben Thanh, costing as little as 30 USD, while genuine designer shoes can top 900 USD abroad.
On 7 May, the government rolled out a city‑wide anti‑IP programme that covers piracy, trademark infringement, and counterfeit goods. Police have opened 1,400 cases over the last month alone—confiscating jewellery worth $1.1 m and shutting dozens of stalls—yet vendors admit the stoppage is temporary.
“After an inspection, some traders quickly hide their stock,” warned Thanh Truc, a street‑market vendor, who sold a fake Loewe shirt for 17 USD. Yet she noted that “people still want the replicas” as a cheap alternative.
A Vietnamese designer, Thi Nguyen, says the crackdown could ultimately benefit local designers that have been under‑cut by knock‑offs. Still, many consumers gravitate to counterfeits for affordability—less than a quarter of a month’s wages on average.
Researchers argue that even a heavy crackdown will “likely not drop sales” because demand for affordable, high‑style items remains steady. The black‑market trade will likely continue to adapt, skirting new rules in ever‑shifting ways.
