Watchdog bites big brands

Shanghai's market watchdogs have punished big brands such as Ritz-Carlton, Maserati, Shanghai Disney and Ralph Lauren.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Shanghai Pudong was fined by the Pudong New Area Administration for Market Regulation because the price shown for parking was 20 yuan (US$2.82) in the first hour, and 10 yuan every 30 minutes thereafter, while, in fact, it charged 30 yuan per hour.

Between January 2017 and January 2019, the hotel earned 127,000 yuan from the charge, all of which was confiscated. 

The hotel has fixed the irregularity based on order.

Maserati (China) was fined 180,000 yuan for claiming cars in a Maserati second-hand auction were in superb condition and did not have any accident records. A customer bought a car for 577,800 yuan and in April asked for the car's repair and maintenance record. The record showed the car underwent 98 repairs in June 2014.

Shanghai Disney Resort was fined 61,939 yuan for selling substandard children's clothing, purchased from a company in Wuxi, for a profit of 14,625 yuan,.

Ralph Lauren was fined more than 42,000 yuan after two pairs of pants sold at Jiuguang Department Store failed for poor color fastness.

Whirlpool China was fined 85,680 yuan after some of its vacuum cleaners were found to be substandard.

Shanghai Time Plastic Surgery Hospital was fined 500,000 yuan for an illegal ad for Botox on Dianping.com. The content has been deleted.

Walmart was fined for selling substandard trolley cases.