A beauty parlour and its female director cum salesperson were convicted of applying false trade descriptions in the course of selling beauty services, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO), at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (November 18). The female director cum salesperson was sentenced to imprisonment for four months suspended for two years while the beauty parlour was fined $50,000.
Customs earlier received information alleging that a staff member of a beauty parlour in Tsim Sha Tsui had made a false claim regarding the brand of a beauty device when selling beauty services.
After an in-depth investigation, Customs officers conducted a test-buy operation in June this year, during which the female director cum salesperson of the parlour, in the course of selling beauty services, claimed that the services would be provided by using a particular brand of beauty device. However, the beauty device concerned was, in fact, not manufactured by the said brand manufacturer.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.
Under the TDO, any trader who applies a false trade description to a service offered to be supplied to a consumer commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Customs stresses that the department adopts a zero tolerance approach towards unfair trade practices by beauty parlours and will spare no effort in enforcing the law to protect consumer rights.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, November 18, 2022