Hong Kong Customs combats unfair trade practices by fitness centre
Hong Kong Customs today (June 2) arrested a male director of a fitness centre suspected of having wrongly accepted payment in the course of selling fitness services, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Customs earlier received information alleging that a male director of a fitness centre in Causeway Bay received payments from consumers during a sales promotion of prepaid personal fitness training packages. The fitness centre was suddenly closed down later and no relevant fitness service or refund has been offered.
After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 29-year-old man. He 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 commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
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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).