Hong Kong Customs steps up consumer protection work during Mainland's National Day Golden Week period (with photos)
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Apart from patrolling popular shopping spots, Customs officers will also drive publicity at medicine shops, dried seafood and ginseng shops, facial and beauty shops and jewellery shops in different tourist shopping areas such as Yau Tsim Mong, Hung Hom, To Kwa Wan and Causeway Bay. Retail shops and workers in the tourist industry will be reminded to comply with the requirements of the TDO.
Customs officers will also distribute pamphlets at different land boundary control points to remind visitors and local consumers that they should patronise shops with good reputations. They should have a good understanding of a product's specifications and make comparisons before purchasing. They are also reminded to check carefully the total price and unit price of the goods before making payment, and to retain transaction receipts and related records, which can serve as evidence in case a complaint is lodged in the future. They are additionally reminded to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.
Customs is concerned about visitors being misled into making purchases by unfair trade practices, and has established a Quick Response Team to handle urgent complaints lodged by short-term visitors. The complaints will be promptly referred to investigators for priority handling.
Under the TDO, any trader who adopts unfair trade practices, including making false trade descriptions in relation to goods, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices as well as bait and switch practices, or sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Ends/Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Issued at HKT 17:30
Issued at HKT 17:30
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