Hong Kong’s Consumer Council has called on businesses to improve services for elderly customers after receiving more than 9,200 complaints over the past three years. The number peaked at 3,827 in 2024. One case involved a woman who spent hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars on beauty treatments.
Hong Kong’s Consumer Council has urged businesses to review their sales policies and provide tailored support for senior consumers after receiving 9,206 complaints from people aged 55 or above between 2023 and 2025. The highest number, 3,827, occurred in 2024.
“The council urges traders to review their sales policies and provide tailored support for senior consumers,” the council said in a statement. It also advised seniors to consider their actual needs when faced with sales promotions, avoid buying excessive services or products, read and understand sales terms carefully before transacting, and not rush into payments.
In one case, a woman in her 70s reported spending more than HK$300,000 on beauty treatments from 2022 to 2023. Despite unfinished sessions, beauty parlour staff continued to pressure her to purchase more without mentioning remaining services or expiry dates. Another complaint involved a woman who spent HK$400,000 (US$51,294) on similar treatments.
These cases underscore vulnerabilities in Hong Kong’s aging population, where seniors face aggressive sales tactics. The council highlighted the need for greater transparency and ethical practices to protect elderly consumers in the silver economy.