Customs probes Opatra after HK$60,000 beauty complaint
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong customs said it is actively following up on a case involving Opatra London after a woman alleged she was cheated into paying more than HK$60,000 for products at one of the beauty chain’s Hong Kong outlets. The complaint drew wider attention after the company’s Sha Tin New Town Plaza branch posted a weekend notice saying it had “temporarily suspended” operations, without giving a reason.
Key Points
- Police said a 58-year-old woman filed a report last Wednesday, alleging she bought HK$61,400 worth of products at the Sha Tin shop last month and questioning its sales practices.
- Officers investigated the complaint and classified the matter as a dispute, while customs said it was actively following up on the case.
- A social media video showed the woman kneeling and crying outside the branch, while posts alleged staff charged her credit card more than HK$60,000 without consent.
- The woman said an employee first complimented her outfit, invited her inside for a photo, then staff promoted products, applied some to her face, and she eventually signed for about HK$60,000 in items.
- Opatra London describes itself as a British hi-tech skincare brand founded in 2010 and headquartered in the UK, with products sold in more than 45 countries and Hong Kong counters in areas including Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay.
Why It Matters
The case has intensified scrutiny of aggressive beauty sales tactics in Hong Kong, especially approaches involving free trials or gifts used to draw passers-by into shops. With one branch already suspended and customs now involved, consumers will be watching for possible enforcement action and whether more complaints emerge.