A state-controlled Chinese newspaper has published a warning to mainlanders alleging ‘rip-offs’ by Hong Kong pharmacy retailers.
According to the South China Morning Post, the People’s Daily reported a case of a Chinese woman from Fujian who was charged HK$40,000 for two bottles of herbal oil at a pharmacy in Causeway Bay. She subsequently read online the oil should have cost $200, the People’s Daily reported.
After paying for the goods and checking online, she returned to the store to request a refund. She called the police when the store refused, but they took no action. She then filed a complaint with the Consumer Council before returning to Mainland China.
The newspaper alleged another consumer, this time from Jiangsu, was charge more than 10 times the market price for herbs at a shop on the waterfront at Tsim Sha Tsui, after reportedly being shown the price of another product.
The People’s Daily said the cases had eroded tourists’ willingness to buy goods in Hong Kong.
“Reading the news about Zheng paying HK$19,800 for a bottle of herbal oil… who will buy medicine in Hong Kong [shops] with such [low] credibility?” the paper asked.
“Shops can only win back their reputation by treating customers honestly,” it said.
You can read the full English language story in the South China Morning Post here.