The Consumer Council today (August 25) rolled out a new wave of publicity on consumer protection against unfair trade practices - with a roving exhibition in shopping malls across the territory.
The roving exhibition - on rotation in 10 shopping malls over the next three months - followed hot on the heels of the launch of a Council's website dedicated to the newly-amended Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) earlier this month.
Shoppers are strongly urged to take the time to visit the exhibition depicting vividly the six new offences on unfair trade practices under the TDO. It pays to know your legal rights and how you are protected under the law.
Officiating the inauguration ceremony of the roving exhibition, at the atrium of the Domain in Yau Tong, Kowloon, was the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr. Gregory SO Kam-leung, GBS, JP.
The opening of the exhibition took off to a rousing start as the Guest of Honour led his officiating party of five on stage to perform, in a concerted effort, a symbolic crackdown on unfair trade practices.
Armed with a wooden mallet each, the officiating party was invited to thump down hard on the Chinese characters "不良營商手法(Undesirable Trade Practices)" - much to the delight and applause of the audience and the gathering crowd of onlookers in the busy mall.
Among the officiating guests were the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr. Clement CHEUNG, and the Chairman of Communications Authority, Mr. Ambrose HO, the two agencies responsible for the enforcement of the TDO.
In her welcoming remarks, the Chief Executive of Consumer Council, Ms. Gilly WONG stressed that crucial to the ultimate success of the TDO are effective enforcement by the authorities; co-operation and compliance of the businesses; awareness and support of the consumer public.
"These factors together will contribute significantly to achieving our objective of maintaining a fair business environment, which is essential to Hong Kong's reputation as a shoppers' paradise and our economy as a whole," she said.
"Fairness in the marketplace is always a top priority area in our work," she said, adding that with the backing of legislation, the Council would be considerably strengthened in dealing with issues of unfair trade practices to ensure a fair deal for the consumers.
In his opening address, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development said that the newly-amended Ordinance would substantially enhance consumer protection, prohibiting undesirable trade practices, on the one hand, and promoting healthy growth of the retail sector as well as consumer vigilance, on the other.
Mr. SO also has this practical consumer advice to offer. To avoid unnecessary mental hassle and time loss, always know well what you are buying before you pay or sign any document; retain all papers such as receipts and contracts. And remember: ask more, think clearly and be a responsible and smart consumer.
The exhibition is a rich panoramic display, in easy comprehension, of the six new offences under the TDO - false trade descriptions; misleading omissions; aggressive commercial practices; bait advertising; bait-and-switch; and wrongly accepting payment - and what may constitute a breach of the law.
The display spanning over a total of 11 panels is reinforced with showing, concurrently, of six 1-minute videos each covering a specific offence, as well as comics featuring the cartoon characters of an Onion Family symbolic of consumer exploitation by rogue traders.
At each of the locations, the roving exhibition will open for four days from Thursday to Sunday to capture and alert the shopping public on unfair trade practices.
As part of this new phase of publicity, the six 1-minute videos have also been put on air concurrently on RoadShow to capture the daily bus commuters.
A series of 13 radio drama episodes, in cooperation with Radio Television Hong Kong, began yesterday and will be broadcast every Saturday for the next 12 consecutive weeks.
Heightened consumer awareness has brought a raft of consumer complaints alleging unfair trade practices - a total of 127 cases since the amended TDO took effect on July 19. There were also 283 enquiries from consumers on the issue.
Most complaints were allegedly related to the offences of false representation and aggressive commercial practices, in the sectors of medicine and Chinese herbal medicine, foods and entertainment services and education matters.
- 2013.08.25