Consumer Council gets no Opatra complaints yet
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The dispute over Opatra London has widened from a single viral sales incident to questions about the status of the brand’s Hong Kong outlets. The Consumer Council said it has not received any formal complaint tied to the case, even as it warned consumers against being rushed by aggressive promotions and noted a rise in beauty-sector sales complaints. At the same time, several Opatra branches in Hong Kong have stopped operating, with some premises sealed off, while the company and its UK head office have issued separate responses.
Key Points
- Consumer Council chief executive Alaina Shum Jiu-fai said on Tuesday that no formal complaint linked to Opatra London’s Hong Kong branches had been received.
- The case drew attention after a viral video showed a middle-aged woman crying and alleging she was pressured into buying products worth about HK$60,000.
- HK01 reported that all four Opatra branches had ceased operations, including stores in Sha Tin, Yuen Long and Causeway Bay, with Sha Tin and Yuen Long sites sealed off.
- At the Russell Street shop in Causeway Bay, neighboring staff said the outlet had still been open the previous night and appeared to have opened only in July.
- Opatra’s UK head office said the Sha Tin shop was run by a Hong Kong distribution partner, while the local distributor denied misconduct and said purchases were voluntary.
Why It Matters
The episode puts renewed attention on hard-sell tactics in Hong Kong’s beauty retail sector, where complaint numbers cited by the Consumer Council have risen this year. It also leaves practical questions for shoppers who may be seeking refunds, records or follow-up service from branches that are no longer operating normally.