Hong Kong proposes cooling-off period for beauty, gym deals to curb hard-sell tactics

Hong Kong's government has proposed new measures to protect consumers from aggressive sales tactics in the beauty and fitness industries. These proposals include a statutory seven-day cooling-off period and a 14-day refund window for prepaid contracts. The government launched a two-month public consultation on Monday to address enforcement gaps in the Trade Descriptions Ordinance concerning long-term contracts and large prepayments. Additional recommendations include a two-year limit on contract duration and empowering the Customs and Excise Department to handle cases of wrongful payment acceptance. These initiatives aim to curb unfair trade practices and high-pressure sales tactics that have led to persistent consumer complaints.