A vegetable shop at Hop Choi Street in Yuen Long, Bonnie Vegetables & Fruit Wholesales Limited, caused noise annoyance by playing promotional recordings loudly and continuously during operation hours to peddle goods. It was fined $3,000 by Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (January 30) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO).

     An Environmental Protection Department (EPD) spokesman said that the department received complaints from members of the public about the excessive noise generated by the shop at Hop Choi Street in Yuen Long, which adversely affected nearby residents. In collaboration with the Police in September last year, the EPD conducted an inspection and enforcement operation in the vicinity of Hop Choi Street. During the operation, the vegetable shop was caught playing a promotional recording loudly by using speakers placed at its front door. Upon on-site assessment by EPD staff, it was confirmed that the noise generated an annoyance and the department subsequently prosecuted the operating company involved, Bonnie Vegetables & Fruit Wholesales Limited, under the NCO.

     The spokesman reminded the responsible people for retail shops and market stalls that when they play promotional recordings to sell goods, they should contain the noise level within their shop area and should not cause annoyance to other people outside their shops or nearby residents, otherwise it constitutes an offence.

     The spokesman also reminded company directors that according to the NCO, they could be prosecuted if their shops contravened the Ordinance repeatedly. Anyone who causes noise annoyance to others when promoting goods and services in shops commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $10,000.

Ends/Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Issued at HKT 15:15

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