SCED praises council for consumer protection work (with photos)
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     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs Rita Lau, today (September 8) expressed appreciation for the effort put in by the Consumer Council to safeguard consumer rights.

     In a visit to the council’s head office in North Point, Mrs Lau was briefed about the council’s recent effort to update consumers on the prices of selected commodities/items at different retail outlets.

     “To help enhance price transparency, the council launched a Weekly Price Survey at the end of last month, covering more than 40 items of food products and daily necessities.

     “The council will also soon launch two other new initiatives, the Internet Price Watch and the Daily Wet Market Report. These initiatives form part of the package of measures aimed at relieving the impact of inflation on the public. We are grateful to the council and its staff for implementing these initiatives within a short time,” she said.

     Mrs Lau said the Consumer Council was also a long-time work partner of the Government in educating tourists on how to shop smart in Hong Kong and in protecting their consumer rights.

     “For instance, it has set up a dedicated website (www.consumer.org.hk/shopsmart) to provide shopping tips to Mainland visitors to help them make informed choices for an enjoyable shopping experience. The website also advises tourists of the channels through which they can get assistance when they are in Hong Kong.

     “Since its launch in September 2007, the website has set up hyperlinks with the China National Tourism Administration and many Mainland consumer bodies to facilitate access by Mainland consumers. To the end of last month, it had recorded more than 40 million hits,” Mrs Lau said.

     She said the council had also provided valuable advice to Hong Kong people travelling abroad and had worked closely with the Tourism Commission in rendering assistance to tourists in Hong Kong.

     “Over the past 34 years, the Consumer Council has strived unswervingly to work for the benefit of consumers. This is largely due to the unceasing efforts of council members as well as the council’s professional and committed staff.

     “I hope that the co-operative partnership which the council has established with the Government will continue to sustain and strengthen in the years ahead,” Mrs Lau said.

Ends/Monday, September 8, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:10

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