Complaints to Hong Kong consumer watchdog up by 20% to 40,839 cases last year

The number of complaints handled by Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog rose by 20 per cent to 40,839 cases last year, with grievances over food and entertainment services topping the list amid staff shortages. The Consumer Council said on Monday that the overall amount covered by the complaints reached about HK$1 billion (US$128 million), as the number of cases exceeded 40,000 for the first time. More than HK$15.2 million came from the food and entertainment services category, which accounted for the most complaints for the third consecutive year with 5,810 cases, an increase of 48 per cent compared with 2023. Complaints soared in the sports games subcategory, which saw a 35-fold jump in the number of cases. Controversy surrounding football star Lionel Messi drove most of the rise in complaints in the subcategory, after he failed to take to the pitch in a much-anticipated and heavily advertised exhibition match in February last year between his Inter Miami club and a Hong Kong team. The incident generated 1,476 of the subcategory’s 1,559 cases and involved more than HK$10 million. Tourists made 305 of the complaints. Sales practices took the top spot overall for the nature of complaints, up 188 per cent, due to the Messi saga. But even excluding the Messi cases, the food and entertainment services category still held the top spot with 4,335 cases, an increase of 11 per cent from 2023 and amounting to more than HK$4.66 million. The complaints were mostly related to service quality and cost disputes, but many also involved quality of goods, at 289 cases, and shop closures at 70 cases, a rise of 106 per cent from last year. The report attributed the high number of complaints to severe staff shortages in the food and drink industry, which was estimated to be short of 30,000 to 40,000 workers. Both locals and visitors suffered from the effects of the shortage as service standards were difficult to maintain under such conditions, the watchdog said. The council urged the sector to improve as it was the most complained about by tourists, taking up 817 of their total 3,321 complaints. “Considering that the resumption of the [multiple-entry scheme] for Shenzhen residents in late 2024 is set to attract more visitors to Hong Kong, all sectors and businesses must grasp this opportunity and improve their service quality,” the watchdog said. Operators could use technology to tackle the shortage, while also stepping up training for frontline workers to encourage spending, the council said. Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, acknowledged the dining sector had room for improvement in terms of service. He said around 260,000 workers were in the industry before the pandemic but now there were 200,000. Since some businesses had closed down and others became more efficient, 40,000 more people were needed to adequately staff the industry, he added. Wong said some who had left the industry might be reluctant to return. “During the pandemic, the government implemented very strict policies, which made it difficult for us to eat out, or for restaurants to operate,” he said. “In this regard, many people feel this industry has an unstable future, while the work environment, benefits and salary aspects may also not compare with other sectors.” Beyond staffing, many smaller restaurants, he said, were slow to adapt to new technologies and operational methods as they concentrated on staying afloat, with the lack of new payment methods available causing some dissatisfaction among tourists. But there were signs of improvement, he said, adding that he believed the council’s report was not an entirely accurate reflection of the situation as it involved numbers from early last year. Another batch of complaints, meanwhile, stemmed from the abrupt closure of the Physical Fitness gym chain in September. Losses reached nearly HK$200 million from 5,619 complaints linked to the chain’s closure, with the recreation and health clubs category climbing to second place from outside the top 10 in previous years. Telecommunication services ranked third with 3,071 cases, a 3 per cent decrease from 2023, while beauty services came in fourth with 2,929, an increase of 97 per cent and involving more than HK$93 million. The number of complaints under the travel matters category declined by 8 per cent to 2,915, putting it in fifth. Air ticket issues led the list with 1,444 cases, followed by airline services with 441. Complaints were split as traditional airlines were the centre of 57 per cent of cases, while the rest were budget airlines. Factoring out the cases arising from the Messi and Physical sagas, the council received 30,495 complaints last year, a slight 3 per cent dip from 2023, while the monetary amount involved was HK$860 million.

Complaints to Hong Kong consumer watchdog up by 20% to 40,839 cases last year

Food and entertainment services top the list, while Messi saga and Physical Fitness closure also behind spike in complaints

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