Fitness scams | The fitness industry advocates for establishing a self-regulation code of conduct

The Hong Kong Recreation and Sports Professionals Association issued a public statement condemning a local chain fitness center for allegedly using unethical sales tactics, deceiving and coercing consumers. They expressed their strongest condemnation and emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for bad actors in the industry, firmly committed to protecting consumers’ legal rights and maintaining a healthy ecosystem in the industry.

The association stated that the incident not only jeopardizes consumers’ property safety and legal rights but also severely damages the overall reputation of the recreation and sports industry, negatively affecting the industry’s image. They believe that the vast majority of practitioners uphold the principle of integrity and are dedicated to providing professional services, while the unethical sales practices of this chain fitness center represent a bad actor within the industry, seriously disrupting the order of the sector.

In response, the association strongly demands that the involved fitness center immediately cease its unethical sales practices, proactively apologize to affected consumers, and provide appropriate compensation, while also cooperating with relevant authorities’ investigations and penalties.

The association indicated that, given occasional unethical business practices in the industry, they have long recognized the importance of industry regulations. For many years, they have actively advocated for the establishment of an industry self-regulation code, calling for the creation of a registration system covering areas such as fitness, improving industry service standards and codes of conduct. This would protect consumers’ legal rights regarding service experience, transparent pricing, and fair contracts, while also providing a good development environment for practitioners and institutions that operate with integrity, eliminating issues like unethical sales and deception, and guiding the healthy development of the industry. This initiative aligns closely with the association’s long-standing commitment to promoting professional development in the industry.

Earlier, Customs received reports from two citizens stating that employees of a chain fitness center lured customers to the center under the pretense of winning a prize, then forced them to make payments and sign contracts before allowing them to leave, involving an amount of 190,000 HKD. Following an investigation, Customs took action on Friday (27th), arresting a 30-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman from the fitness center, suspected of using intimidating business practices to sell fitness services, in violation of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance.