Hong Kong Government to Table Cooling-Off Bill for Beauty, Fitness Contracts by Mid-2027
SCMP · 1 SOURCES1 day ago4 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong government will introduce legislation to the Legislative Council in the first half of 2027 to create a statutory cooling-off period for prepaid beauty and fitness contracts. Commerce Secretary Algernon Yau Ying-wah announced the timeline on Saturday, following the conclusion of a two-month public consultation on August 31. The proposed bill draws upon limitations identified in the existing Trade Descriptions Ordinance and aims to protect consumers from aggressive sales practices prevalent in these industries.
Key Points
- Commerce Secretary Algernon Yau Ying-wah (邱毓华) stated the government hopes to table the amendment bill in the first half of 2027, subject to the legislative schedule
- The administration proposed a statutory seven-day cooling-off period and a 14-day refund window for prepaid beauty and fitness contracts
- A contract threshold ranging from HK$3,000 to HK$15,000 or above was suggested to exempt lower-value contracts and minimise business disruptions
- Both beauty and fitness industries supported the seven-day cooling period, though they held different views on the appropriate contract threshold
- The government plans to prohibit operators from splitting a single service contract into multiple documents to evade regulation
Why It Matters
The proposed legislation addresses long-standing consumer protection gaps in Hong Kong's beauty and fitness industries, where prepaid contracts have frequently led to disputes and financial losses. If enacted, the cooling-off provisions could set a precedent for regulating prepaid service contracts across other sectors, potentially reshaping commercial practices in the city .
The proposed legislation addresses long-standing consumer protection gaps in Hong Kong's beauty and fitness industries, where prepaid contracts have frequently led to disputes and financial losses. If enacted, the cooling-off provisions could set a precedent for regulating prepaid service contracts across other sectors, potentially reshaping commercial practices in the city .