Critics may claim the Consumer Council lacks real legal clout but that has not stopped the watchdog drawing attention to everything from the distasteful to the dodgy and downright dangerous since it was founded in April 1974.
The council publishes the monthly magazine Choice, which aims to guide the public through the often confusing battlefield of product selection. There have been some notable alerts that provoked widespread public debate and awareness.
In August 2001, the council released an influential report saying four out of 17 child car-safety seats increased the risk of serious head injury or even death for babies. The report warned that children could die or suffer serious injury if a rear-facing seat was mounted on a front passenger seat fitted with an airbag.
Last year, the council warned against a popular bust-boosting gel injection which had caused at least six women to lose one or both of their breasts. The report received extensive media coverage and sparked a call by doctors for greater public education about breast enlargement procedures.
The council said 53 people had also sought medical help following severe bruising, swelling and pain after the treatment, mostly in unlicensed clinics or beauty parlours. In 90 per cent of cases, the women had the treatment on the mainland, with the rest in Hong Kong and one in Thailand.
The council also warned last year that bottled green tea drinks contained similar levels of sugar as a can of cola and most brands had less than half the healthy components of a traditionally brewed cup.