Hong Kong’s Environmental Protection Department (EPD)​ has fined two vegetable stalls for causing noise annoyance with loudspeakers at their front doors.

Fanling Magistrates’ Courts have fined Bonnie Vegetables and Fruit Wholesale $8000 for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO) with persistent noise at the company’s Hop Choi Street and Yuen Long New Street outlets in Yuen. It is the second conviction for the Hop Choi Street.

An EPD spokesman says the department repeatedly received complaints from members of the public last year that vegetable stalls near Tung Yick Market in Yuen Long were persistently playing promotional recordings via loudspeakers. Joint enforcement action with the police in November revealed that the two vegetable stalls were playing promotions loudly and continuously using loudspeakers at their front doors.

The spokesman says the EPD will continue to monitor the stalls and take stringent action to combat illegal behaviour. To deter repeated contraventions by chain stalls, the department will consider prosecuting the stall directors.

Noise offences can attract fines of up to $10,000.