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Consumer protection in Hong Kong
Opinion
SCMP Editorial
Editorial
SCMP Editorial

Hong Kong’s fight against aggressive sales tactics is far from over

The latest cases are reminders that high-pressure selling has not disappeared and underline the need for stronger consumer safeguards

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Customs officers arrest a 43-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman in connection with aggressive sales tactics on August 19. Photo: Nora Tam
SCMP Editorial
Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.

The pursuit of beauty often comes at a price, though not everyone can or should be expected to fork out a fortune for it, especially when aggressive sales tactics are involved. Recent incidents where routine visits to beauty parlours and department store counters turned into financial ordeals that left customers out of pocket do nothing for the city’s image and confidence in the sector.

The tale of an 88-year-old woman having her credit card kept by a salesperson at a department store and swiped multiple times within hours for skincare products, a device and treatment sessions worth HK$100,000 is the latest example of strong-arm sales practices, a problem regrettably still found in beauty and other services.
The incident was reported by the South China Morning Post days after a woman said she had been pressured into transactions of more than HK$60,000 at a local outlet of beauty chain Opatra London last month. More complaints followed and prompted the arrests of three people so far. The Customs and Excise Department said it had received 38 calls for help linked to the chain, with reported losses ranging from HK$1,800 to more than HK$200,000, totalling more than HK$3 million (US$382,629).
The controversy surrounding Opatra started with a viral online video in which a woman cried outside an outlet in New Town Plaza shopping centre and claimed she had been cheated. The authorities took enforcement action as more complainants came forward about alleged malpractice across the beauty industry, while the United Kingdom-based company issued a statement saying the operation in Hong Kong was independently owned and run by a local distributor.

Isolated as they seem, the incidents reflect a long-standing culture of high-pressure selling among some traders that erodes consumer confidence and undermines legitimate businesses in the industry.

The playbook is similar. It typically involves prolonged sales pitches that wear down resistance, retention of customers’ credit cards for repeated transactions, unwanted physical contact and time-limited offers. Victims tend to be impressionable customers who are vulnerable to emotional manipulation and lack awareness of their rights.

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