Consumer Council awarded 15 Certified Shops as ‘Class A’

This year, over 1,100 businesses are awarded the 2014 'Certified Shop' emblem by Consumer Council and 15 'Certified Shops' are awarded as 'Class A Certified Shops'.
Consumer Council added a grading system of 5 levels to its assessment mechanism of 'Certified Shop' in 2010 to award businesses that acquire the highest class in the previous year, the Council hopes the assessment mechanism encourages 'Certified Shops' to make improvement and provide better services to consumers. This year, 15 'Certified Shops' are classified as 'Class A', and the number of shops that scored A- has also increased. 111 shops or about 10 percent of the total number of 'Certified Shops' are classified as 'Class A' and 'A-' this year. 1,179 businesses are awarded the 2014 'Certified Shop' emblem, and over half of them earned a B in their annual assessment. About 10 percent of this year's 'Certified Shops' are no longer qualified in the coming year.
Consumer Council indicates that retail business is significant to Macao's economy. According to the Statistics and Census Service Bureau (DSEC), value of retail sales amounted to 47.3 billion patacas in the first three quarters of 2013, which is 20 percent more of that of last year. Retail businesses involved include telecommunications equipment, watches, jewelery, and leather goods, etc. Meanwhile, visitor spending in Macao has also reached its new high. A United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) research shows that each tourist spends an average of USD3,200 in Macao, which is the highest amount across the world. Also, according to the statistics of Q3, visitor spending (gaming exclusive) amounted to 14.8 billion patacas, which has increased by 12 percent.
'Certified Shops' currently include retail businesses such as jewelers, department stores, Chinese herbal medicine & medicines, etc.. In order to maintain the renowned image of Macao as an international city of tourism, it is necessary to ensure the quality and standard of 'Certified Shops. Consumer Council achieves these by enhanced monitoring on, training for, and raising the standard of its 'Certified Shops'. The award ceremony of 'Class A Certified Shops' was held on 5th December at Macau Fisherman's Wharf. Ms Connie Lau Yin-hing, JP, former Chief Executive of Hong Kong Consumer Council and now Chairman of the International Advisory Group of Experts on Consumer Protection, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, United Nations, was invited to introduce the current trend of consumer protection work. Other invited guests at the event included representatives from China Consumers' Association, and over 20 consumer organizations in China and Taiwan.