Qingming holiday consumer complaints down 25 percent

The city's market watchdog received more than 700 complaints and tips-off during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, with clothing and shoes, household items, computers, home appliances and food drawing the most criticism, authorities said on Monday.

A total of 731 complaints and tips-off were forwarded, down 25 percent from last year's holiday, due to a decrease in service-related complaints, the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation said.

The slump in service complaints was due to the coronavirus pandemic, the national day of mourning and suspension of public recreational activities, the administration said.

Such complaints accounted for 24 percent of the total, compared with 59 percent last year, according to the administration.

There were only 48 complaints regarding coronavirus prevention items and tourism refunds, accounting for less than 10 percent of the total, the administration said.

However, a rebound in online consumption complaints was recorded as there were 592 complaints concerning online shopping, or 81 percent of the total, posing a nearly 20 percent increase from last year, according to the administration.

These regarded disputes over clothing and shoes, household items, computers, home appliances and food, and more than 60 percent concerned after-sales services and contract fulfillment, the administration said.