A chain supermarket concessionaire and its director were convicted and each fined $5,000 today (April 25) at Eastern Magistrates' Courts for supplying frozen food with a false trade description, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Hong Kong Customs earlier received information alleging that a type of frozen fish declared on the packaging as "leopard coral trout" sold by a fish stall operated by a food retailer under a concessionaire agreement in a chain supermarket was different from what was declared.
Upon examination by laboratory, it was confirmed that the frozen fish was "bar-cheeked trout" - different from the trade description.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Under the TDO, any person who supplies goods with a false trade description in the course of trade or business, or is in possession of any goods for sale with a false trade description, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182, or crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Wednesday, April 25, 2018