To celebrate the annual ‘World Consumer Rights Day’ on 15 March, Consumer Council and Macao Customs will hold a photo exhibition together on real and counterfeit goods at 1500 on Sunday, 15 March, at Iao Hon Market Garden. The Council hopes to demonstrate the result of the collaboration between departments in recent years on striking counterfeit goods, and to implement its duty to provide consumers with consumer rights education to strengthen consumers’ awareness.
Consumer goods sold in Macao are mainly imported, since there are vast numbers of brands available, the Government pays attention to any abnormal economic activities on the market and adopts measures to halt these activities, including the striking of counterfeit products to safeguard the economic development of Macao and to protect consumers’ rights.
Consumer Council and Macao Customs have been working together in recent years in transferring complaint cases and interchanging information, and have succeeded in attacking the illegal sales of counterfeit skincare products and medicated balm, etc.. The Council hopes to demonstrate the result of the collaboration between the two departments in this photo exhibition to be held on this year’s ‘World Consumer Rights Day’. Samples of counterfeit products will be displayed, and the related manufacturers or local agents are invited to offer information on how to differentiate real products from counterfeit ones. Other exhibited materials include laws regarding the protection of consumer rights and intellectual property. Traders are reminded not to get involved with any illegal acts or otherwise shall be penalized.
The Council indicates that counterfeiting does not only infringe the rights of consumers but also affect the healthy development of Macao’s economy. It is hoped that an honest and safe shopping environment will be secured through the collaboration of departments, self-discipline of traders, as well as consumers’ execution of their own obligations to report this kind of illegal acts.
The opening ceremony of the mentioned photo exhibition will be held at 1500 on 15 March at Iao Hon Market Garden; booth games will also be available at the event, together with on-site inquiry services. The booth games will end on 1700 but the exhibition will last for two days until 16 March, and the Council will continue to exhibit the materials in different local communities at a later stage.
The Council wants to express its gratitude to Macao Customs, Macao Association of Chinese Medicine Pharmacy, Macao Association of Grocers, Macao Association of Pharmacy, and Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department for the assistance provided in this event.
Further, Macao Consumer Council and Zhuhai City Hengqin Consumer Council will be signing a cooperation agreement on 15 March morning. The agreement sets up mechanisms for both parties to transfer cases and interchange information, as well as the cooperation of the ‘Certified Shop’ mechanisms in both areas. ‘Certified Shops’ in Macao running the same kind of businesses in Hengqin can apply for the ‘Certified Shop’ emblem in Hengqin and will be given the emblem once approved. The Council believes the cooperation of the mechanisms is beneficial to safeguarding consumer rights in both areas.
