Hong Kong Customs today (December 12) arrested a saleswoman of a beauty parlour suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices involving misleading omission in the course of selling a beauty treatment, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Customs earlier received information alleging that a salesperson of a beauty parlour in Causeway Bay, in the course of selling a facial beauty treatment service, was suspected of hiding material information by failing to provide a customer with a sales contract and disclose relevant terms and conditions, which misled the customer to purchase the beauty service.
After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a saleswoman, aged 43, of the beauty parlour concerned.
An investigation is ongoing and the arrestee has been released on bail pending further investigation.
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 engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision 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 any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Ends/Tuesday, December 12, 2023