https://www.scmp.com/rss/522464/feed The latest news and top stories on Hong Kong’s Consumer Council. A prominent Hong Kong-based independent statutory body, Hong Kong’s Consumer Council is dedicated to safeguarding consumer rights and enhancing welfare. Established in 1974, its primary mission involves promoting fair market practices and empowering consumers. The Council’s main activities include handling complaints, mediating disputes, conducting product testing and market research and providing consumer education through... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The fallout from the American-Israeli war against Iran is worsening as the world economy faces mounting inflationary pressure caused by energy supply disruption. Export-driven economies in Asia are especially exposed and need to take immediate measures to counter the impact of supply shortages. Hong Kong has, to an extent, been shielded by the enormous Chinese economy, but it is not entirely immune. Some local industry insiders have warned that rising fuel prices may have to be passed on to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346485/hong-kong-should-work-ensure-steady-fuel-supply-amid-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346485/hong-kong-should-work-ensure-steady-fuel-supply-amid-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 23:15:09 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has received dozens of complaints after Taiwanese rock band Mayday cancelled one of its coming concerts at Kai Tak Sports Park and replaced it with a new date later in the week, sparking frustration among fans – particularly those travelling from mainland China and overseas. The Consumer Council said that as of 1pm on Tuesday, it had received 24 complaints about the cancelled show – eight from local consumers and 16 from fans outside the city. The watchdog said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346132/sour-note-fans-after-taiwanese-rock-band-mayday-switches-hong-kong-date?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346132/sour-note-fans-after-taiwanese-rock-band-mayday-switches-hong-kong-date?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:15:06 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Harvey Kong Connor Mycroft,Harvey Kong Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has called on businesses to improve services for elderly customers after receiving more than 9,200 complaints in the past three years, including one from a woman who spent HK$400,000 (US$51,294) on beauty treatments. The Consumer Council said on Thursday that improving services for older people would help boost the spending potential of the “silver economy”, a priority for the government amid a rapidly ageing population. “The council urges traders to provide... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339954/hong-kong-consumer-watchdog-urges-better-elderly-services-after-9206-complaints?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339954/hong-kong-consumer-watchdog-urges-better-elderly-services-after-9206-complaints?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 04:22:12 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin About a quarter of face washes tested contain only some or none of their claimed active ingredients, Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has revealed. It also urged users to try a small portion on their skin beforehand as a precaution when using cleansers that were highly acidic. The Consumer Council said on Monday that it tested 25 face washes with exfoliating properties and found that six of them, which were labelled as containing alpha-hydroxy acids, salicylic acid or both, failed to meet their... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3336478/hong-kong-consumer-watchdog-finds-1-4-face-washes-fall-short-ingredients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3336478/hong-kong-consumer-watchdog-finds-1-4-face-washes-fall-short-ingredients?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:37:14 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has slammed driving schools over opaque fees, with one charging nearly twice the quoted rate for extra lessons to meet the minimum number of training hours. The Consumer Council said on Monday that all 32 basic courses offered by 11 driving schools failed to meet the Transport Department’s requirement of 30 hours of practical training, forcing students to buy extra lessons and go over their original budget. “The current situation is not ideal, as the packages cannot... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333032/hong-kong-driving-schools-slammed-opaque-fees-insufficient-training-hours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333032/hong-kong-driving-schools-slammed-opaque-fees-insufficient-training-hours?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 02:59:17 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Some pet toys sold in Hong Kong have been found to contain chemicals that can trigger allergies in dogs or cause cancer in humans and animals, although most samples comply with children’s toy standards, the city’s consumer watchdog has found. The Consumer Council revealed on Wednesday that 97 per cent of pet toys it tested complied with migration limits stipulated in the European safety standard for children’s toys, but one leather toy contained higher levels of chromium III, which can cause... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3329083/some-pet-toys-hong-kong-have-chemicals-can-cause-allergies-illness-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3329083/some-pet-toys-hong-kong-have-chemicals-can-cause-allergies-illness-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 06:37:52 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial When it comes to consumer protection, vaccinations for children might seem like a low priority for attention, yet investigations by the city’s watchdog found an array of practices across the medical industry that raised red flags. Parents would do well to heed its advice before making any decisions. Under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, almost all eligible young people from birth to Primary Six are provided with free vaccination services targeting 12 infectious diseases,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3326111/consumer-council-right-flag-issues-around-child-vaccinations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3326111/consumer-council-right-flag-issues-around-child-vaccinations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to strengthen the government’s say in the renewal of a private operator’s lease for the Central Harbourfront next year, following the city’s recent hot-air balloon festival saga. Earlier this month, the HK$30 million (US$3.8 million) four-day AIA International Hot Air Balloon Fest, held at the Central Harbourfront Event Space, drew fire after the organiser failed to obtain a licence for its advertised tethered balloon rides. The government approved the festival’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325724/hong-kong-scrutinise-central-harbourfront-lease-after-hot-air-balloon-saga?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325724/hong-kong-scrutinise-central-harbourfront-lease-after-hot-air-balloon-saga?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 09:01:55 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog recorded 548 complaints against pharmacies over malpractice in the first eight months of this year, including a Singaporean woman who was charged 100 times the normal price for the herbs she bought. Such “unscrupulous sales practices” could erode tourists’ confidence, the Consumer Council warned on Monday, adding that some of the complaints saw pharmacies and medicine shops accused of deliberately using unclear pricing. Other tactics included the promotion of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325579/singaporeans-hk30400-herb-bill-sparks-warning-over-hong-kong-pharmacy-malpractices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325579/singaporeans-hk30400-herb-bill-sparks-warning-over-hong-kong-pharmacy-malpractices?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:25:38 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong More than 90 per cent of clay masks tested in Hong Kong have been found to contain heavy metals, with two exceeding safety limits set by mainland China and the United States, according to the city’s consumer watchdog. The Consumer Council on Monday called on manufacturers to improve formulations and increase transparency after tests of 30 products priced from HK$79 to HK$610 (US$10 to US$78) showed that heavy metals were commonly present in ingredient lists. Twenty-eight, or 93.3 per cent,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325554/93-30-clay-masks-found-contain-heavy-metals-hong-kong-consumer-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325554/93-30-clay-masks-found-contain-heavy-metals-hong-kong-consumer-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 05:15:05 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong parents should not buy private prepaid vaccination plans for their children without prior medical consultation, the consumer watchdog has said, after finding that most service providers do not offer full refunds even if a child is deemed unfit for a jab. The Consumer Council also called on Monday for private medical facilities and other service providers to be more transparent about their pricing after discovering that 95 per cent of those surveyed required residents to prepay in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325546/dont-buy-prepaid-vaccinations-children-without-consultation-hong-kong-watchdog-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3325546/dont-buy-prepaid-vaccinations-children-without-consultation-hong-kong-watchdog-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 04:23:18 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott The recent AIA International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Hong Kong was billed as a fun-filled, family-friendly event that would literally lift people’s spirits. Instead, it was a massive letdown. Held at the Central Harbourfront from September 4 to 7, the advertised highlight was to be tethered balloon rides that promised “breathtaking views” from 10 to 20 metres (33 to 66 feet) above ground. But attendees were left, well, deflated when safety concerns prompted the cancellation of rides on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325189/how-hong-kongs-balloon-and-inflatables-events-often-let-people-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325189/how-hong-kongs-balloon-and-inflatables-events-often-let-people-down?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 09:26:37 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong The airflow rate among rechargeable portable fans can vary by more than 1.5 times, a study by Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has found. The Consumer Council, which tested 16 handheld and two neck-mounted products, found that among the lighter handheld models it examined, there was a variance of more than 1.5 times. The discrepancy among the heavier models could be more than 1.3 times. “It is worth noting that among models with similar fan head size, the air flow can still vary considerably,” the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3318290/hong-kong-consumer-watchdog-reveals-wide-variance-portable-fan-performance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3318290/hong-kong-consumer-watchdog-reveals-wide-variance-portable-fan-performance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:04:53 +0000