The call came as it revealed on Tuesday that the number of complaints against medicine and supplement products recorded in the first seven months of the year jumped 50.6 percent year on year to 1,190.
In one case, a tourist turned to the council for assistance after goods he had requested at a drug store were believed to have been switched with suspected imitation products.
The complainant’s suspicions were aroused after he had left the city and made a closer examination of his purchase.
In another case that came to the notice of the Customs and Excise Department, a so‑called “catty‑to‑mace tactic” was used, in which a medicinal product the complainant thought would cost HK$140 ended up costing HK$22,400 — 160 times more — but he had to pay as it had already been ground into powder.
Council chief executive Alaina Shum urged shoppers to protect themselves better.
“For example, before making a purchase, consumers should confirm with the trader how the product is priced and what unit is being used,” she said.
“When purchasing medicines, consumers should also confirm the total price before agreeing to have the products sliced or ground into powder.
“These simple steps can help reduce the risk of disputes.”
Sellers for their part, Shum said, should be clearly transparent with all the important information, including the pricing of units and total amounts, to help buyers make informed decisions.
If a product is unavailable due to a shortage, she said, traders must not hide that from shoppers so that they can decide whether or not they should opt for alternatives.
Shum said an online platform dedicated to handling cross-boundary complaints, which is set to roll out on October 1, will better protect shoppers.
“To enhance the efficiency of cross-boundary consumer dispute handling, the council is currently upgrading the function of its complaint management system and optimising the handling and follow-up process on referral cases,” she said.
“Upon the completion of the system upgrade and with the complainant’s consent, [those consumer councils elsewhere] that have signed the MOU with the council will be able to directly access the council’s complaint management system to view the progress of the relevant cross-boundary complaint cases.”