Consumer protection councils expand cooperation in Greater Bay Area

Consumer councils in Guangdong province and Hong Kong have expanded cooperation on consumer rights protection.

A recently signed agreement allows people who have purchased goods or services anywhere in Guangdong or Hong Kong to file a complaint with their local consumer council, rather than the one where the business is located, reducing the cost and improving the convenience of consumer rights protection.

Meanwhile, consumer councils from the two regions will organize activities to improve their cooperation and promote exchanges.

Guangdong and Hong Kong will also utilize exchanges, symposiums, seminars and video conferences to enhance consumer protection and cooperation, the agreement said.

In addition, the agreement proposes exploring the establishment of a Guangdong-Hong Kong consumer complaint warning system, and addresses the rising demand for consumer protection resulting from the growing number of Hong Kong shoppers traveling to the Chinese mainland.

The Guangdong Consumer Council has handled 567 consumer complaints from Hong Kong and Macao residents since it launched the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Consumer Complaint and Transfer Platform in 2019.

Benny Kwok, a Hong Kong resident, said the agreement would promote cultural exchanges, increase the flow of people in the Bay Area and accelerate Hong Kong's integration with the mainland.

"My main consumption in Guangdong is tourism, accommodation and food," said the 50-year-old office worker, who frequently visits Guangdong for sightseeing and shopping.

Miao Lili, a white-collar worker from Guangzhou's Yuexiu district, said the cooperation of consumer councils from Guangdong and Hong Kong would certainly be good news for shoppers who frequently travel across the border.

The agreement makes consumer complaints more convenient and cost-effective, encouraging more people from Guangdong and Hong Kong to cross the border for shopping, dining and entertainment, she added.