Tools to protect household businesses

In an increasingly competitive business landscape, information transparency is not only a way to build trust with customers but also a means for producers and household businesses to protect their own legitimate interests.

Officers from Taxation Office No. 8 under Dong Nai Tax Department provide guidance to owner of a stationery store at Phuoc Binh Trade Center (Phuoc Binh ward) on declaring and paying taxes electronically. Photo: Truong Hien

Product codes and input invoices have become an inevitable trend, helping safeguard legitimate rights, prevent legal risks, and demonstrate professionalism and transparency in business activities, especially as the declaration-based tax system will take effect on January 1, 2026.

Product codes: Verifying the origins of goods

Dong Phu Cashew Co., Ltd. (in Nghia Trung commune, Dong Nai province) has long produced roasted salted cashews. Previously, its products were mainly sold within the province. Recently, however, they have reached various domestic and international markets. The company therefore registered barcodes for its products, invested in printing labels, standardizing packaging, and attaching QR codes to each product box.

These efforts not only protect the brand but also help improve management of production and distribution. Product codes are a requirement for goods to enter supermarkets and e-commerce platforms, serving as a stepping stone for market expansion.

Le Van Lam from Dong Phu Cashew Co., Ltd. shared: “With QR codes, customers can trace the origin of the products, identify the company's address, and introduce the goods to others. They can quickly verify where the product comes from and access nutritional information and ingredients that match their needs.”

Not only enterprises and small production facilities but also household businesses are now paying more attention to product codes.

As a trader in a traditional market, Nguyen Thi Hue, a vendor at Phu Rieng Trade Center (Phu Rieng commune, Dong Nai province), said that product codes help buyers easily check information on origin, expiry dates, and quality standards. This creates transparency and protects both buyers and sellers. She therefore always sources goods with proper product codes, which she considers the “key” for consumers to verify product information, production processes, and shelf life.

Hue said: “When imported goods have product codes, customers feel more confident, and it helps prevent counterfeit and imitation products. That is why we always choose products with clear identification.”

According to local small business owners, in previous years, unclear product origins directly affected honest sellers. Simple information embedded in a product code has now become an “identity card” for goods, reinforcing consumers’ trust.

Nguyen Thi Khuyen, a vendor at Bu Nho Trade Center (Phu Rieng commune, Dong Nai province), said: “Product codes benefit both sellers and consumers. First, they show the origin of the goods; second, they ensure safety for consumers because scanning the code reveals all information and helps avoid fake items.”

“Issuing invoices is mandatory in business. Invoices and documents must be complete. They serve as the basis for household businesses and enterprises to record input costs and, importantly, to verify the origin of goods to ensure accurate payment and accounting. In the tax sector, from January 1, 2026, the tax regime will shift from presumptive tax to declaration-based tax, which means all purchased and sold goods must come with valid invoices and documents as required by law.”

Duong Dinh Trinh, Deputy Head of Taxation Office No. 10, Dong Nai Tax Department.

 

Input invoices: A crucial legal foundation

Running a grocery stall at Bu Nho Trade Center, Pham Thi Ngoc once faced trouble when some products were reported by customers for quality issues, yet she could not trace their origins because the suppliers had not provided invoices. After that incident, she changed her purchasing practices and only sourced goods accompanied by invoices, which enabled her to verify product legitimacy during inspections.

“Input invoices are essential documents that allow household businesses to establish product origin and comply with tax regulations. They act as a ‘shield’ protecting business owners. When every transaction has clear documentation, they are safeguarded against legal and financial risks and can build a transparent business foundation,” Ngoc said.

As a household retailer of stationery products, Thien Chi Bookstore (in Phuoc Binh ward, Dong Nai province) pays close attention to input invoices for all types of goods.

Nguyen Hoang Thien Chi, the bookstore owner, said that input invoices play a vital role not only in tax management but also in ensuring transparency in cost accounting and product flow management.

“All our goods come with input invoices. If an item does not have an invoice, we must prepare a detailed record and enter it into the accounting software to ensure proper bookkeeping,” he explained.

According to the tax sector, input invoices are more than tax management documents, they are essential legal foundations that protect the rights of household businesses. When household businesses fully comply with invoicing requirements, they can operate confidently, contributing to a transparent and healthy market environment. Issuing invoices is not only a legal obligation but also a right that ensures transparency and minimizes risks when the declaration-based tax model begins on January 1, 2026.

In the context where consumers care not only about prices but also about clear origins and compliance with quality regulations, product codes and input invoices help household businesses maintain transparency, affirm credibility, protect manufacturing brands, and prepare for a smooth transition to declaration-based tax management. Product codes and input invoices are also key to ensuring customers’ trust in product quality and origins, essential conditions for sustainable business development.

By Anh Ngoc – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha