HONG KONG: Consumer complaints concerning sales tactics shot up by 33 percent in 2009, over the previous year, the Consumer Council reported in an annual report yesterday.

"Clearly, in the way forward we need to address the problem in close collaboration with the government and to press for the necessary legislative measures as a matter of priority and urgency," professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, council chairman told a news conference.

The sales sector that roused the most consumer ire was telecom services, which generated 9,165 complaints. Financial services were a distant second with 4,968 complaints. Electrical appliance sales came third with 2,260 complaints.

In total there were 34,114 complaints covering all aspects of trade practices in 2009, compared to an all time high of 42,050 complaints a year earlier.

The Council said the statistics demonstrated that unfair, misleading and deceptive tactics by sales people remain a matter of grave concern.

"While we are delighted that the overall level of consumer dissatisfaction has come down, we are equally concerned that the problem with undesirable sales practices has actually worsened over the year, Cheung said.

Noting that during the first quarter, the Commerce and Economic Bureau plans to open public consultation regarding legislative proposals to curb the problem, the Council continues to consult with industry to seek additional remedies.

The Council is in negotiations with some sectors, notably the beauty industry, to introduce cooling-off periods on sales contracts. The Consumer Legal Action Fund also supports the introduction of class-action suits and facilitation of dispute mediation to resolve complaints.

China Daily

(HK Edition 02/05/2010 page1)