Legal online sales of food, medicine and cosmetics to require FDA approval

By Admin 15 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
15 August 2023, Sittwe

People who sell food, medicine, and beauty products online will be issued an online trading certificate after receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the Department of Consumer Affairs.

The Department of Consumer Affairs said that since food, medicine and cosmetic products are related to the health of consumers, trading certificates will not be issued without FDA approval.

“As these products have health effects, FDA approval is mandatory, confirming that there is no risk of disaster. This is to ensure that consumers are not harmed,” said an official from the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Sellers say most of the items being sold online in Myanmar are made in Thailand and China, and it is difficult to get FDA approval.

“In Thailand, it is not easy to apply for a trading certificate from the FDA. I think the prices will only go up,” said a Myanmar woman who lives in Thailand and deals in food and beauty products.

The junta’s Ministry of Commerce announced on July 21 that action would be taken against sellers using online platforms in Myanmar if they do not properly register their businesses.

The military junta has designated online sales as an important service business, and anyone who sells online must register within six months of July 21, the ministry has said. Unregistrants can be sentenced to imprisonment of six months to three years, and/or a fine of not more than K500,000.

Some people say that people who sell goods online are not large-scale businesses, but sole proprietorships, and may be stopped due to registration restrictions.

“Online business is not that big. Now, if all online sellers have to pay tax, they will not only sell the products they are selling,” said a woman who sells local products in Pyay, Bago Region.

In Myanmar, there are a lot of people who run online shopping businesses, and the online market is expanding. Due to the economic crisis and the lack of jobs after the 2021 military coup, some people have started working in online sales to earn extra income.