The Consumer Council conducted two surveys on the services and charges of fitness centres and optical shops selling contact lens with power, both surveys can be found in the latest issue Consumer Report.

Transparency of fitness centres

What do consumers need to pay attention to when joining a fitness centre? Aside from the charges, operating hours and whether the facilities are fit for personal needs, its charging method, terms of the contract and refund policy of the fitness centre are all essential to consumers’ choices. The Consumer Council sent out a questionnaire to fitness centres in Macao to collect information on their operations and services, and details can be found in issue 313 Consumer Report.

The said survey reviews that hotel fitness centres tend to be more open in disclosing their business practice and information to consumers, a response rate of over 90 percent is recorded for the 68 questionnaires sent to hotel fitness centres whereas only 1 fitness centre out of 9 located in other areas responded to the Council regarding this survey.

Consumers are reminded to consider fitness centres that offer enough and transparent information as well as those that offer cooling-off period, the contract must also be well read in order to evaluate the potential risk of this kind of prepaid consumption.

Optical shops selling contact lens with power

Contact lens with power is an option for consumers with myopia or hyperopia. The Council conducted a survey earlier on local optical shops selling contact lens with power, the consolidated information can be found in the latest Consumer Report.

International organisations concern about consumer rights in the digital world

The Council participated in the Consumers International Summit 2019 and the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy, fourth session, held by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) earlier. A feature in the latest Consumer Report introduced the different topics covered at the two meetings, including consumer rights in the current digital world and how consumers may be protected in the e-commerce era.

The current issue also features an article on the legal explanation of uncompleted first-hand property and the difference between first and second-hand property, as well as issues that consumers need to pay attention when purchasing uncompleted property.

Consumers may access the magazine online on the Council’s official website and WeChat official account. Consumer Report is now also available free of charge at the Council (Av. Horta e Costa, N.º 26, Edf. Clementina Ho), and the service counter of the Council at Macao SAR Government Service Centre (Rua Nova da Areia Preta, Nº52), Public Information Centre at Vicky Plaza, libraries, and bookstores.

For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.