Ex-head of Hong Kong Consumer Council denies quitting due to Nongfu Spring debacle
The former head of the Hong Kong Consumer Council has denied her departure was prompted by the watchdog's unusual backdown over its controversial verdicts on a mainland brand of 'natural drinking water'.
Gilly Wong Fung-han, who stepped down as chief executive of the council earlier this month at the end of her term, said she had done so after suffering from two serious bouts of cold that left her 'reflecting on life' and needing to 'take a rest'.
But she conceded that the council had wronged Nongfu Spring, China's leading bottled water company, when it listed the brand in an
incorrect category last year after warning of high levels of bromate in one of its products.
'It has always been our policy that we should be fair and objective, open and honest, and assume accountability,' Wong said in a radio interview on Monday.
'We handled the [Nongfu Spring] case in the same manner …. So, when we discovered that we made mistakes, we took a responsible step to rectify and make corrections.'
Last July, the watchdog suggested consumers avoid buying bottled water after tests on various brands, including Nongfu Spring.
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