Hong Kong’s ICAC warns of corruption risk in retail sector
Increased competition fuelled by economic downturn cited for heightened likelihood
Hong Kong’s graft-buster has warned of increasing risks of malpractice and corruption in the city’s retail sector amid intensified competition in the current economic downturn.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption said frontline employees – as well as senior management – could easily commit bribery by reserving high-demand goods for certain customers and abusing staff purchase schemes.
To raise awareness of the risks, the ICAC released a corruption prevention guidebook focusing on the retail industry, for training employees.
“We chose retail to be one of our targeted industries because it plays a very important role in the overall economy and the livelihoods of Hong Kong people,” said assistant commissioner of corruption prevention Jenny Au-yeung Wong Mei-fong.
She said malpractice by frontline staff would hinder Hong Kong’s reputation as a “shopping paradise”.