Products still on sale in HK despite heavy metal find
Japanese skincare and cosmetics brand SK-II pulled all its products from mainland shops yesterday amid security fears after outbreaks of violence in Shanghai - but has no plans to do so in Hong Kong despite the discovery of heavy metals in samples here.
Customs and Excise Department tests found 'very low' levels of chromium and neodymium in nine samples in Hong Kong, but the Health Department said the levels were too low to cause serious problems.
Customers in all major mainland cities have flooded SK-II counters in the past week with refund requests since health authorities there said last week they had found the metals in products including foundation, lotion and cleansing oil.
The brand's owner, Procter & Gamble, said: 'SK-II is suspending sales of its skincare and cosmetics product line on the mainland and temporarily closing SK-II counters.'
The company said the action was taken 'after contacting local public security in the wake of serious security incidents at some of these locations'. It said it would not recall the products in Hong Kong but would offer refunds on products bought in the past 14 days.
In Shanghai yesterday, nearly 20 people smashed the glass doors of P&G's office in the city after they were told the refund centre had stopped processing claims.