$33,000 to buy an electrolyzed water machine for the whole family to drink

Since a number of "lead water incidents" broke out in Hong Kong in 2015, many people have installed water filters for self-protection. However, after analyzing the complaint cases, the Consumer Council found that the sales practices of many water filter companies were questionable. After a victim spent NT$33,000 on an electrolyzed water machine, his whole family was "drinking" it. There was also a salesman who deliberately concealed that the "water machine" could only be used for showering and not drinking water, and the victim paid nearly NT$10,000 before he realized he had been deceived.

The Consumer Council received 29 complaints about water filters in the first nine months of this year, which was similar to the same period last year. Mr. Ku advocated spending 33,000 yuan on a water ionizer for the health of his children at home. The salesperson claimed that the pH value of electrolyzed water is 8.5 to 9.5, which can wash away residual pesticides in fruits and vegetables, and can be drunk without boiling. Mr. Zhang was also advised to "drink it every day." However, two days after Mr. Zhang's family switched to drinking electrolyzed water, he continued to suffer from diarrhea and headache. After consulting the doctor, the doctor told him that long-term drinking of alkaline water was not recommended, especially for children. He felt that he had been cheated. After the intervention of the Consumer Council Later, he was allowed to use the money to replace multi-functional cleaning tools and air purifier filters.

The salesperson claimed that the government arranged water testing

Another victim, Ms. Wang, received a sales call from a water machine company and was misled that the "free water testing program" was arranged by the government. Unexpectedly, when the salesperson came to "test the water", she claimed that the water in her home was unclean and contained chlorine, and kept urging her. Install water machine. But it was not until the company installed the water machine in the bathroom that Ms. Wang was shocked to realize that the water machine could not be used in the kitchen. After her son checked the leaflet, he learned that the water "purified" by the water machine could only be used for showering and not for drinking. Ms. Wang even said that the salesperson never stated the price clearly. One time he said the monthly payment was 200 yuan, and another time he said the monthly payment was 400 yuan. Only later did he find out that it would take 24 months and the total payment would be 9,900 yuan. The company also argued that it had mentioned during the sales process that "washing hair without conditioner will make your hair softer" and that it was not misleading. The Consumer Council has recommended that the victim file a complaint with the Small Claims Tribunal.

Consumer Council: Exaggerating or breaking the law

The victim, Ms. Chan, met a salesperson who claimed to be the "Director of the Fresh Water Project". The salesperson claimed that he was providing installation discounts for grassroots and elderly families. He even mentioned the "Housing Department" during the conversation, which led her to mistakenly believe that the service was subsidized by the government. And spent 1,700 yuan to buy a water filter. After the Consumer Council intervened, the other party refunded NT$1,400.

The Consumer Council pointed out that the Water Supplies Department currently closely monitors the quality of drinking water in Hong Kong. WHO data also indicates that the pH value of general drinking water is pH 6.5 to 9.25. The public should be careful that products claiming to have miraculous effects may not necessarily have scientific and medical basis; If a trader makes exaggerated claims, it may also violate the Trade Descriptions Ordinance.

Source: Qingbao