Drug and supplement complaints surge over 50pc amid sales practice concerns

Around a quarter of complaints involving sales practices received by the Consumer Council in recent years were related to drugs, medicines and supplements, with cases involving lookalike products, confusing pricing units, shortfalls in product quantities and delayed refunds.

The findings came as the watchdog received 1,190 related complaints in the first seven months of this year

In one case, a mainland visitor told the watchdog that she had clearly specified the brands of medicated oil and other medicines she wanted to buy at a pharmacy.

However, after returning to the mainland, she discovered that the products were not from the brands she had requested, despite having highly similar packaging colors and English names. One of the medicated oils also had less than six months remaining before its expiry date.

Following mediation by the Consumer Council, the pharmacy agreed to provide a full refund.

In another case, a consumer bought dozens of bottles of health supplements at the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo. Although the labels stated that each bottle contained 90 capsules, the buyer later found that some newly opened bottles contained one or two fewer capsules than advertised.

The trader eventually agreed to replace the affected products.

The Consumer Council urged medicine and supplement retailers to operate with integrity, clearly display prices and pricing units, and proactively provide consumers with accurate and comprehensive product information before purchases.

Businesses should also establish clear after-sales arrangements, it added.

The Consumer Council received 1,190 complaints involving drugs and health supplements in the first seven months of this year, an increase of more than 50 percent from the same period last year.

Consumer Council chief executive Alaina Shum Jiu-fai said the watchdog had received 5,107 complaints involving drugs and supplements since 2023, with the number rising for three consecutive years.

Around 25 percent of the complaints were related to sales practices, while others involved suspected counterfeit products and product quality issues.

About 40 percent of complaints over the past three years were lodged by visitors, a proportion Wong described as significant.

Complaints from tourists mainly involved undesirable sales practices, while the number recorded in the first seven months of this year was double that of the same period last year, highlighting the seriousness of the problem, Shum added.
 

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