Consumer Council Chief Executive Wong Fung-han stated today (Feb. 11) on a radio program that the council received over 40,000 consumer complaints last year, marking a 20% increase from the previous year. Excluding complaints related to mainland online shopping platforms, the involved amount rose significantly by 33%, reaching HK$1 billion.
Wong explained that the rise in complaints is mainly attributed to approximately 1,500 related to the absence of Messi. Additionally, the closure of all branches of the fitness chain PHYSICAL Fitness & Beauty in September last year accounted for over 5,600 complaints.
She noted that without these two incidents, complaints received by the council showed a slight year-on-year decrease of 3%, amounting to HK$860 million, which represents an 8% increase in financial value. This increase was primarily due to two large property-related complaints, one involving nearly HK$100 million and the other around HK$60 million.
Wong highlighted that complaints related to restaurants rose by 17% year-on-year, totaling nearly 1,400. She believes this is linked to the industry's labor shortage, which has affected service quality, and noted an increase in complaints from travelers regarding restaurant services. Common complaints included unclear promotions, attitude issues, and food quality.
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