Hong Kong Customs today (December 16) announced results of its spot checks on plastic food wraps and food bags last month. A model of a plastic food wrap and a model of a plastic food bag were found without bilingual warnings or cautions, in contravention of the Consumer Goods Safety Regulation (CGSR), a subsidiary legislation of the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (CGSO).
Customs earlier received a referral from a related organisation that suspected non-compliant plastic food wraps and food bags were being supplied in the market. Customs immediately conducted spot checks and test purchases in various districts. Testing of the samples of the plastic food wraps and food bags confirmed that all complied with the relevant safety standard.
However, it was found that a model of a plastic food wrap and a model of a plastic food bag did not have attached the applicable bilingual warnings or cautions with respect to its safe keeping, use, consumption or disposal, in contravention of the CGSR.
Customs officers later conducted an operation and found that 15 boxes of the plastic food wrap without bilingual warnings or cautions were available for sale at a chain store in Hung Hom. The batch of plastic food wraps was then seized.
An investigation is ongoing.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the CGSO and the CGSR with a view to protecting consumers' safety.
Under the CGSO, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import into Hong Kong consumer goods unless the goods comply with the general safety requirements for consumer goods. Under the CGSR, where consumer goods or their packages are marked with warnings or cautions with respect to their safe keeping, use, consumption or disposal, such warnings or cautions shall be in both English and Chinese languages.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years on subsequent conviction.
Members of the public may report any suspected unsafe consumer goods to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, December 16, 2019
