https://www.scmp.com/rss/522519/feed The latest news and top stories on Robust (Guangdong) Drinking Water. A prominent entity in the food and beverage sector, Guangdong-based Robust (Guangdong) Drinking Water specialises in purified and mineral bottled water. Formerly part of Danone Group and a top Chinese beverage company, it maintains a wide market network and multiple production bases. Robust is recognised for stringent quality management and significant market presence. The company recently accused Xin Ding Xin Trade of... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Swire Coca-Cola has won a HK$31.9 million (US$4 million) contract to supply Bonaqua water to some Hong Kong government offices, following a HK$52.9 million procurement scandal last year. According to a Government Logistics Department notice, Swire Coca-Cola was awarded the 27-month contract on Tuesday to supply more than 1.46 million bottles of drinking water to offices on Hong Kong Island and parts of the outlying islands. The selection followed an open tender launched in December. In its... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347375/swire-coca-cola-wins-hk32-million-government-deal-after-bottled-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347375/swire-coca-cola-wins-hk32-million-government-deal-after-bottled-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:32:55 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s logistics chief has issued a set of guidelines to senior civil servants, urging them to “heighten their alertness” and conduct due diligence to prevent potential fraudulent acts by tenderers and contractors, following a recent drinking water procurement scandal. “In light of the recent incident on procurement of bottled drinking water for which fraud elements involving the contractor are revealed, it is of utmost importance for bureaus and departments to step up efforts to prevent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324094/hong-kong-official-calls-heightened-alertness-among-staff-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324094/hong-kong-official-calls-heightened-alertness-among-staff-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 13:43:31 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu It is quite unimaginable that Hong Kong continues to struggle with basic necessities such as water. However, that is the case, at least when it comes to the government. Ten years ago, opposition lawmaker Helena Wong Pik-wan found excessive levels of lead in drinking water that was later discovered to have affected 11 public housing estates, involving 29,000 households. That led to an independent, judge-led inquiry in 2016. The investigation yielded 17 recommendations, including for the water... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3322960/water-scandal-another-blow-public-trust-hong-kong-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3322960/water-scandal-another-blow-public-trust-hong-kong-government?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Willa Wu,Harvey Kong Willa Wu,Harvey Kong Hong Kong’s leader has expressed deep disappointment over the Government Logistics Department’s failure to detect fraudulent documents before awarding a HK$52.9 million (US$6.78 million) contract to a bottled water supplier, urging authorities to plug loopholes in the procurement process as soon as possible. Commenting on the water supply scandal for the first time, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Saturday that the treasury minister’s response to the incident had been timely and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322912/very-disappointed-john-lee-speaks-first-time-hong-kongs-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322912/very-disappointed-john-lee-speaks-first-time-hong-kongs-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 06:24:19 +0000 Willa Wu,Vivian Au Willa Wu,Vivian Au A vague public apology and blaming a procedural “flaw” have failed to quell public discontent over the government’s water procurement scandal, political analysts have said, urging Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu to accelerate developing a civil servant accountability system. Analysts made the call on Friday as the government said that the central tender board, chaired by the permanent secretary of the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, had given the final approval to the bottled water... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322877/hong-kong-urged-expedite-civil-servant-accountability-system-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322877/hong-kong-urged-expedite-civil-servant-accountability-system-after-water-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 13:21:49 +0000 Vivian Au,Edith Lin Vivian Au,Edith Lin Hong Kong lawmakers have called for tougher vetting of bidders for government tenders, accusing authorities of accepting information submitted by companies at face value after awarding a HK$52.9 million (US$8.8 million) bottled water contract to a firm suspected of deception. They made the calls for stricter background checks as a senior official apologised for the first time over the growing procurement scandal, which came to light at the weekend after the government was forced to terminate a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322711/hong-kong-water-scandal-tougher-vetting-contract-bidders-needed-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322711/hong-kong-water-scandal-tougher-vetting-contract-bidders-needed-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Willa Wu,Vivian Au Willa Wu,Vivian Au The Hong Kong government’s procurement system failed to detect document fraud and authorities are taking immediate steps to strengthen it, the head of the logistics department has said, apologising to the public for the first time since a growing water scandal broke out. Government Logistics Department director Carlson Chan Ka-shun said on Thursday that officials understood the case had caused huge public concern over the procurement process. “It has also sparked doubts over the safety of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322620/i-apologise-everyone-hong-kong-official-admits-system-failed-detect-water-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322620/i-apologise-everyone-hong-kong-official-admits-system-failed-detect-water-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:48:38 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Some bottled water brands in Hong Kong are taking advantage of a growing government procurement scandal to promote their products. Watsons Water posted on social media on Wednesday that its products were “safety and quality assured”, highlighting its strictly controlled production processes, which included multiple filtration and high-temperature distillation. The post received almost 380 reactions. Another local drinking water manufacturer, Swire Coca-Cola, posted on Facebook on Tuesday night... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322585/bottled-water-brands-seize-hong-kong-procurement-scandal-promote-products?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322585/bottled-water-brands-seize-hong-kong-procurement-scandal-promote-products?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 01:48:02 +0000 Vivian Au,Lo Hoi-ying,Oscar Liu Vivian Au,Lo Hoi-ying,Oscar Liu Hong Kong police have confirmed that a third-party factory in Dongguan, Guangdong province, was commissioned by two fraud suspects to produce bottled water supplied to some government offices in a growing procurement scandal, but said the plant held the relevant licences required by mainland Chinese authorities. The controversy came to light over the weekend when the Government Logistics Department announced that it had “partially terminated” a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) three-year... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322465/hong-kong-centre-takes-legal-action-against-firm-suspected-water-procurement-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322465/hong-kong-centre-takes-legal-action-against-firm-suspected-water-procurement-fraud?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:45:14 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The Hong Kong government carries a heavy responsibility as a major procurer of goods and services. While there are well-established procurement guidelines to ensure value for public money, fair competition and accountability, irregularities may still occur, as in the latest suspected water procurement fraud. Officials must expeditiously find out what went wrong and learn from the episode. The controversy came to light last Saturday when the Government Logistics Department announced it had... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322363/clarity-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal-needed-quickly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322363/clarity-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal-needed-quickly?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong police have arrested a married couple suspected of being at the centre of a rapidly unfolding controversy surrounding a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) contract to supply drinking water to some government offices. The pair allegedly defrauded the government and are suspected of breaching the Trade Descriptions Ordinance by providing false information about the product manufacturer. The unprecedented fiasco over the contract, which was among the first of its kind awarded to a mainland... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3322266/pouring-over-facts-what-behind-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3322266/pouring-over-facts-what-behind-hong-kongs-water-procurement-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 12:42:32 +0000 Oscar Liu,Emily Hung Oscar Liu,Emily Hung Hong Kong authorities have ordered an investigation and set up a task force to review official procurement processes after a company supplied bottled water that listed a mainland Chinese brand as a manufacturer without its permission. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau outlined its plan on Sunday, a day after the Government Logistics Department partially terminated a HK$52.9 million deal with bottled water supplier Xin Ding Xin Trade because it doubted whether the company was capable... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322137/hong-kong-government-faces-scrutiny-over-bottled-water-procurement-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322137/hong-kong-government-faces-scrutiny-over-bottled-water-procurement-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:11:15 +0000