2014年7月12日 星期六

[香港海關 通訊事務管理局] 不良營商手法執法指引 (中文及英文版)

乙部 p.22 營業行為未能表露其商業用意 

3.40 正如上文第3.2段所述,某商戶如未能表露一項營業行為中的商業用意,因而導致或相當可能導致一般消費者作出一項交易決定,而沒有此營業行為該消費者便不會有此決定,有關商戶可能會觸犯誤導性遺漏的罪行。縱使商業用意在大部分情況下已屬明顯(例如所標示的價格通常已表明廣告宣傳的商業用意,又或電視廣告已讓人意識到是用以促銷產品),「社論式廣告」(以報道形式刊登的廣告)如未能明確展示其屬於廣告宣傳(例如展示的方式使它難以與刊物的其餘部分被區分),其商業用意則可能不明顯。 

3.41 真誠地僱用知名人士宣傳產品是合乎常規的做法,但如某商戶在沒有透露某知名人士與商戶之間的合同關係,而讓該知名人士佯裝消費者,並安排該知名人士在產品展覽中被不知情的傳媒拍攝到,因而導致一般消費者作出本來不會作出的交易決定,則有關商戶可能觸犯誤導性遺漏罪行。請參閱第2.11段有關在委聘名人時避免觸犯虛假商品說明罪行的更多情。 

例子 
某美容公司指使其僱員或網誌代理在各個網上論壇及社交網站發表有利於該公司的意見,藉以促銷其服務。有關意見是由佯裝曾惠顧該服務的消費者發表。若不表明有關商業意圖導致或相當可能導致一般消費者作出本來不會作出的交易決定,這營業行為可能構成誤導性遺漏的罪行。 

來源:香港海關及通訊事務管理局【不良營商手法執法指引】

Part B 3. MISLEADING OMISSIONS 
3.40 As mentioned in paragraph 3.2 above, a trader may commit a misleading omission offence if he fails to identify the commercial intent of a commercial practice, and as a result, it causes or is likely to cause the average consumer to make a transactional decision that the consumer 
would not have made otherwise. While such an intent is apparent in the majority of cases (for example the presence of a price often notifies the commercial intent of the advertisement, or a TV advertisement is clearly perceived to be promoting a product), the commercial intent of an “advertorial” may not be readily apparent if it does not make clear that it is an advertisement. For example, its way of presentation may make it hardly distinguishable from the rest of the publication in which it appears. 
3.41 The genuine engagement of celebrities in product promotions is a legitimate practice, but a trader may commit a misleading omission offence if he engages a celebrity to disguise himself or herself as a consumer and arranges for him or her to be photographed by the unsuspecting media at 
a product exhibition without disclosing any contractual relationship between the celebrity and the trader, and as a result, causing the average consumer to make a transactional decision that the consumer would not have made otherwise. Please also refer to paragraph 2.11 as regards avoiding the commission of the offence of false trade descriptions where celebrities are engaged. 

Example 
A beauty company instructs its employees or a blogging agent to post on various online forums and social networking websites very favourable comments to promote its services. The comments are 
posted under a disguise as consumers who have patronized the services before. If such non-disclosure of the commercial intent causes or is likely to cause the average consumer to make a transactional decision that the consumer would not have made otherwise, this practice may constitute a misleading omission offence. 

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