After months of research and discussions, a Code of Practice for the beauty industry is now in place.
The Code effectively sets the standards by which the various sectors engaged in beauty products and services will adopt voluntarily in a concerted move to enhance the service and consumer confidence of the industry.
Its implementation signifies the start of a new era of self-regulation in this fast growing multi-billion-dollar trade. One estimate put consumer spending at a staggering total of $2.6 billion in Hong Kong in the year 2004/05.
The Code is made possible in a project of collaboration between the beauty industry and the Consumer Council over the past 19 months.
It is the first major voluntary code of trade practice in the Council's drive for corporate social responsibility, which has won wide recognition and support from the business community since the launch of a Good Corporate Citizen's Guide in March last year.
In launching the Code today (June 7), the Council's Chief Executive, Mrs. Pamela CHAN, said the Council was delighted to play a pivotal role in bringing together the trade and putting the Code into successful fruition.
"Our sincere thanks must go to the representatives of the trade on the various committees set up to study specific consumer-related issues in great depth, without their invaluable contribution a code of this coverage would be inconceivable," she added.
Mrs. Chan was confident that with the continued support of the industry, the Code would be widely adopted and further strengthen Hong Kong's leading position in beauty services and products in Asia.
For effective implementation of the Code, the beauty industry has, on its own initiative, formed a Joint Consultation Group to chart and oversee its progress.
As a start, in addition to the industry's own contributions, it has obtained support of a grant of some $1.4 million in an extensive education and training programme to promote best practice and the Code for adoption by its members across the trade.
Already, at today's launch, a total of nine trade and professional bodies representing a wide cross section of the industry, have come forward in a rally to pledge support to the Code. (A list of the organizations is in Attachment One).
Essentially, the Code sets the guidelines for best business practice in four key areas.
First, it deals with the quality in respect of service and products such as the facilities, staff and beauticians, workflow in service provision, safety in use of equipment and materials, and basic standards in professional conduct.
Second, it encourages the use of good promotion and sale tactics, transparency in pricing, and fair and reasonable contract terms in all transactions.
Third, it sets out standards governing the prepayment mode of operation common in the industry, prohibiting excessive sales of prepayment coupons, and high-pressured sales tactics, as well as promoting prudential business operation and provision of consumer advice on prepayment coupons.
Fourth, last but not the least, the setting up of a fair and reasonable mechanism for consumer complaint resolution, and service performance pledge.
The Code is available in a booklet and on the website of the Consumer Council ( www.consumer.org.hk ).
Present at the press conference today were: (1) Mrs. Pamela CHAN, Chief Executive of Consumer Council; (2) Mr. Homer YU, Prepayment Mode of Operation Subcommittee Convenor; (3) Mr. Nelson IP, Promotion and Sales Tactics Subcommittee Convenor; (4) Mr. Joseph HO, Service and Product Quality Subcommittee Convenor; (5) Mr. Barry YIP, Joint Consultation Group Member.
Issued by
Consumer Council
7 June 2006