The Zhanjiang Customers Association promotes a commitment activity of establishing stores with safe consumption services at One City Shopping Mall on Mar 15. [Photo by Lin Chuan/Zhanjiang Daily]

The Zhanjiang Consumer Association with 16 industry associations and chambers of commerce launched a publicity event at One City Shopping Mall in Zhanjiang Economic Development Zone on March 15, announcing that the city has officially launched a commitment activity of establishing stores with safe consumption services among businesses across all walks of life.

In recent years, consumption has become the main driving force for the steady growth of Zhanjiang's economy. As the current novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic has caused a large impact on the economy, the driving force of consumption is expected to be greater.

According to the relevant national and provincial requirements, and under the unified deployment of the Zhanjiang market supervision bureau, the Zhanjiang Consumers Association has mobilized merchants to participate in the commitment activity, while still fighting the epidemic since February of this year. As of March 15, a total of 200 merchants of brick and mortar enterprises have successfully registered.

The event is aimed at all operators in the city that provide goods or services to consumers. Operators participating in this activity must publicly make three commitments to the public, including quality assurance, integrity assurance, and rights protection. Operators can not provide counterfeit and shoddy products, unqualified products, as well as expired products, or make false public claims. In addition, they should provide convenient after-sales service and efficiently handles consumer complaints.

The three commitments cover the fields of goods and services, involving quality, price, contract, after-sale service, and intellectual property rights. Operators are required to assume obligations, such as advance compensation and first-inquiry responsibility. They can also make more commitments that are beneficial to consumers according to actual operating conditions.

Wu Jianjian, secretary-general of the Zhanjiang Consumers Association, said that in the current critical stage of epidemic prevention and control, as well as the resumption of production and operation, the city will integrate the strengths of various industry associations and chambers of commerce, augmented by the power of mainstream media, to encourage 2,000 merchants to participate in the activity and create a safe and secure consumption environment for consumers in the city.