Complaints about refunds and high prices

Shanghai's market watchdog received 2,411 complaints and tipoffs related to the pneumonia outbreak during the Spring Festival holiday, covering areas such as refunds and excessive prices for protective products, authorities said on Thursday.

Among them, 493 concerned disputes over refunds of pre-booked nianyefan (Chinese New Year's Eve dinner) and wedding banquets, involving about 1.6 million yuan (US$230,000), the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation said.

Another 872 related to refunds for pre-booked hotel accommodation, involving about 415,000 yuan, and 576 tourism-related complaints over tickets of tourist attractions and cruise tours were forwarded, involving about 4 million yuan, according to the administration.

A total of 470 complaints were about exorbitant prices for protective products such as masks, involving 94,000 yuan.

Of the complaints and tipoffs, 787 have been handled, retrieving losses of nearly 2 million yuan for consumers, the administration said.

During the holiday, the city's market authorities checked 9,362 food manufacturing and operation businesses, uncovering 11 cases.