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INDUSTRY AND TRADE
An additional Consumer Advice Centre, situated in the heart of the tourists' shopping area in Kowloon was opened, bringing the total number of advice centres to 16.
During the year, the council received 9 500 complaints and 133 000 enquiries for advice and information on a diverse range of goods and services. Publicity sanction was imposed on three shops which were subjects of repeated consumer complaints for dishonest business practices. The shops named were a beauty service centre and two electrical appliance shops.
A steady increase in the funding of test and survey projects boosted the quantity and quality of the council's research activities, with an increasing focus on environ- mental issues.
Metrication
The government's metrication policy is to promote and facilitate the progressive adoption of the International System of Units (SI) in Hong Kong. The Metrication Ordinance, enacted in 1976, provides for the eventual replacement of non-metric units by SI units in all legislation in Hong Kong. Government departments are now using metric units exclusively. A Metrication Committee, consisting of representatives of industry, commerce, management and consumer affairs, and government officials is the focal point of liaison for all matters concerning metrication. It advises and encourages the commercial and industrial sectors in the development and implementation of their metrication programmes.
During the year, the committee continued to direct its efforts towards the retail trade. A publicity campaign was launched to encourage the use of metric units in public markets. Concurrent with the campaign, weighing scales with triple calibrations (metric, imperial and Chinese units) were provided for use by members of the public to familiarise them with metric units. Publicity materials and metric conversion tables were distributed to members of the public.
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