News

The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Florinda Chan, has met with a delegation led by Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice, Mr Rimsky Yuen, and Secretary for Security, Mr Lai Tung-kwok today, to discuss mutual legal assistance and subsequent follow-up work. Macao and Hong Kong have been achieving good progress in arrangements for the surrender of fugitive offenders and mutual legal assistance. The expert team is currently revising and rationalising the texts of the agreements and will continue to exchange views on relevant matters. At present, the two special administrative regions are implementing two mutual legal assistance agreements related to criminal cases and civil cases -- the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement that came into force in 2005, and the Arrangements Concerning Reciprocal Recognition and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards that came into force in 2013. The meeting was held at the Government Headquarters and Macao officials who attended included Assistant Prosecutor, Mr Ma Iek; Acting Chief of Office of the Secretariat for Administration and Justice, Ms Ku Mei Leng; Director of Law Reform and International Law Bureau, Ms Chu Lam Lam; Advisor to the President's Office of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Chen Li Cheng; and Advisor to the Office of the Secretary for Security, Mr Ho Chi Un.
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For the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June, Consumer Council conducted its specific price surveys on household cleansing products, and shampoo & shower gels on 3 July. Results of the mentioned 2 surveys have been uploaded to the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and are available in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. For inquiry, please call the Council's hotline: 8988 9315.
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The "Forum on Chain and Franchise Business Opportunities of International Brands" was held this afternoon at the fourth floor of Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre. The keynote speakers discussed about the prospects of international franchising business and exchanged views on future development of the industry. The participants indicated that the Forum helps to give a better understanding of the current trends and markets for corporate franchising in various countries and regions. The Forum also helped enterprises and other organisations build up business relationships. The Forum on Chain and Franchise Business Opportunities of International Brands, with the theme of "Young Entrepreneurship – In Search of Franchising Opportunities", is one of the series activities of Macao Franchise Expo 2014 (2014MFE). The opening ceremony of the Forum was held at 3pm on 3 July. Executive Director of Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) Echo Chan said that Macao's brand development and franchise operations have become increasingly active, with many young entrepreneurs as well as Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) joining the franchising business. To be in line with the market development, the theme for this year's Forum is "Young Entrepreneurship – In Search of Franchising Opportunities", with the objectives of providing more business opportunities to young entrepreneurs and local brand enterprises through the co-operation in chain and franchising operation. Director of the Franchise Committee Office of the Franchise & Entrepreneur Department, China Chain Store & Franchise Association Susan Su said that the association has been co-operating with the Macao SAR Government since the first MFE. The association is pleased to see that the chain and franchising business has been developing quickly and expanding in Macao and has been widely applied in various industries. E-commerce is developing fast in Mainland China in the past two years and has great impact on the with particular reference to the actual stores. However, the e-commerce development also brings in opportunities, allowing for franchisors to expand their network. Franchising has experienced steady growth on Mainland China, especially in the 3rd and 4th tier cities. The franchising business in Macao has more international exposure than those on Mainland China. Therefore, as long as Macao makes use of its advantages, it will have a chance to develop its own franchising brands, and at the same time expand businesses to other countries and regions through e-commerce. Speakers at the Forum included: Vice President of Portuguese Franchise Association, Co-founder and Managing Director of Onebiz Group António Godinho; Secretary General of ASEAN Retail-Chains & Franchise Federation (ARFF) Chris Daniel Wong; Legal Counsel of the Italian Franchising Association Fabrizio Fiori; President of Macau Cultural and Creative Industries Development Association, Chief Executive Officer of 678 Cultural Creative Park Ltd Andy Szeto; Director of Administration of Long Profit International Co. Ltd Cheang Chi Hou; Committee Member of Franchising and Licensing Association (Singapore), Chief Executive Officer of Asiawide Franchise Consultants Pte. Ltd Albert Kong; Chairman of Franchise Committee in Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultants Association - Tokyo branch Kyo Ito; Supervisory Council Vice Chairman of Macau Youth Entrepreneur Association, Chief Executive Officer of Azona Enterprises Ltd Dicgo Chan; Deputy General Manager of Operation Headquarters of YuLoong Wu Wen Na; Hong Kong branding designer and consultant Tommy Li; Director and Project Manager of Meet & Sweet Café Ieong Chon Hei. Two panel discussion sessions were also organised for the Forum. The moderators and panellists led a dialogue focusing on market development and operation strategies and shared their experiences in finding marketing opportunities in chain operations and business start-ups. The panellists introduced the franchising market in various countries and regions and discussed the challenges to be faced when joining a franchise. The panellists also pointed out that brands may need to pay extra attention in assisting the franchisees, so as to ensure the quality of their brands. At the same time, the franchisees should also be aware whether the franchisor can provide necessary assistance and support. Moreover, it was pointed out that if brands is growing too fast, it may lead to management problems and insufficient backup support which will threaten the operation of the brand. The panellists also shared their experience in franchise development. They agreed that the SAR Government has provided plenty of positive support to SMEs, and also helps in terms of policymaking and policy execution. Macao is a city with free economic trading. Most imported products are exempted from taxes, with fast and convenient customs clearance procedures and efficient logistics facilities, all of which help lower business operation costs. Macao has a diverse source of customers. The number of visitors in Macao has been increasing annually, which accelerates corporate development, especially for the beverage industry, which depends greatly on visitors. A panellist said that the advantage of the franchise system is that the brand's head office can provide technological and operation backup support which will relieve the pressure of business starters with no prior experience. The head office also takes charge of the research and development for new products, saving the franchisees' time and money. The brands themselves have already built up their reputation and that provides confidence to customers. Operation procedures and policies are required for all companies. However, the brand's head office will train and send staff to ensure the standard of workflow is met and helps franchisees to build up their management model more quickly. Franchisees can also enjoy the advantage of facilities set up as well as business strategies provided by the head office. When it comes to the co-operation between young entrepreneurs and Portuguese corporations, a panellist suggested that Macao can be the bridge between Mainland China and Portugal as well the Portuguese-speaking countries. Being proficient in Portuguese is essential when bringing products from these countries into China. Since some companies and organisations are not familiar with Macao, it will be beneficial for them to co-operate with Macao SMEs. It will also help build up better communication with Portuguese speaking countries. Some panellists also pointed out that the Macao corporations can learn from the successful experience of international companies when introducing international brands. It helps improve Macao corporate operations and build up Macao brands. Macao's proximity to Mainland China gives enterprises the advantage in expanding into the Mainland market. Macao corporations also have support from the SAR Government as well as various business chambers. It all adds up to great potential as long as they can improve their own business practices. A panellist also pointed out that not every brand can develop a franchise system. Franchisors need to establish systems, including those for manufacturing and start-ups, in order to maintain consistent standards. At the same time, brand owners need to calculate whether they have enough financial support. Healthy financial aid from banks or securities companies is essential. Regarding the questions raised by the participants on how to bring Macao brands into Mainland China, the panellists believed that SAR government support is necessary. As there is a surplus supply of shopping malls in the Mainland, resulting in difficulties in promoting investment. Therefore, preferential policies are provided to attract more franchising operation. If the plan was to set up a shopping centre promoting Macao products, IPIM is a proper channel to help bring in Macao companies and products. Various chambers in Macao can also set up cooperation with mainland corporations. For local enterprises that wish to expand their franchise stores on the Mainland, a panellist shared his experience that while increasing the number of stores, the brand also need to gradually establish management process . They may need to establish their own management team before considering expansion into the chain and franchise business. The panellist also pointed out that existing brands that represent Macao should be maintained, and even be transformed if they have become outdated. Other events at the Forum included a coffee tasting session, introduction of corporate products and items, and a networking cocktail reception. The purpose was to allow people to meet in order to provide business opportunities, relevant assistance to business starters, and methods on how to help existing business upgrade their operations. The audience indicated that the Forum had provided plenty of useful market information, helping them easily grasp the trend of markets in various countries and regions. Overall speaking, the Forum provided a better understanding of franchising and thus a platform of better communication and co-operation. Participants also pointed out that the Forum helped them to focus on issues that require attention when building up franchises. That allows them to plan more effectively for expanding their own business into the franchise sector. Participants also said that the Forum enabled them to know more about the attending companies and that attendance at the remaining three days of 2014 MFE will help them to improve cooperation and build relationships. Starting from 4 July, 2014MFE will take place at Exhibition Hall "A" of the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel for three consecutive days. The opening ceremony will be held at 11am on 4 July. A total of 170 exhibitors from sectors covering food and beverage, retailing, education, entertainment, finance, brand agencies, plus real estate and professional consultancy services, will display their products and services. The final two days of 2014MFE will be open to the public. Macao residents are welcomed to attend and explore business opportunities.
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According to statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, broad money supply continued to grow in May. As total loans increased at a faster pace than total deposits, the overall loan-to-deposit ratio of the banking sector rose from a month earlier. Money supply Currency in circulation and demand deposits grew 0.9% and 5.0% respectively. M1 thus increased 4.3% from one month earlier. Concurrently, quasi-monetary liabilities grew 1.6%. The sum of these two items, i.e. M2, increased 1.9% to MOP473.8 billion. On an annual basis, M1 dropped 1.1% whereas M2 rose 16.3%. The share of Pataca (MOP) in M2 stood at 23.9%, down 0.4 percentage points from a month ago or 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier. The share of Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) in M2 was 49.2%, virtually unchanged from the previous month but down 5.9 percentage points year-on-year. Deposits Resident deposits increased 1.9% from the preceding month to MOP464.2 billion. Of which, MOP deposits, HKD deposits and other foreign currency deposits increased at respective rates of 0.2%, 1.9% and 3.5%. Non-resident deposits rose 3.1% to MOP208.9 billion. Public sector deposits with the banking sector also increased 1.8% to MOP87.6 billion. As a result, total deposits with the banking sector grew 2.2% from a month earlier to MOP760.6 billion. The shares of MOP and HKD in total deposits were 18.3% and 39.9% respectively. Loans Domestic loans to the private sector increased 2.5% from a month ago to MOP299.5 billion. Among which, MOP84.8 billion was MOP-denominated and MOP189.8 billion was denominated in HKD, representing 28.3% and 63.4% of the total respectively. On the other hand, external loans rose 3.5% to MOP317.0 billion; of which, loans denominated in MOP and HKD accounted for 1.7% (MOP5.4 billion) and 21.8% (MOP69.2 billion) respectively. Loan-to-deposit ratios The loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector at end-May rose 0.3 percentage points from the previous month to 54.3%. The ratio for both the resident and non-resident sectors also grew by 0.6 percentage points to 81.1%. Detailed Monetary and Financial Statistics are available in the latest issue of Monthly Bulletin of Monetary Statistics on AMCM Internet Website. (http://www.amcm.gov.mo/publication/Publication.htm)
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, attended the meeting of the Macao organizing committee (OC) for the 8th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting at the Government Headquarters this morning where the Macao OC members briefed him on the preparatory work for the event, which is progressing smoothly. A joint press conference will be held next Tuesday by the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Chief Executive's Office and Secretary-General of the Macao OC, Mr Alexis Tam, and all departments concerned, to give the public details of the event. During the meeting, Mr Tam reported on the overall progress with preparations in the past few months. The Macao OC has held three co-ordination meetings with the National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and corresponding departments in the mainland, and the overall arrangements for the ministerial meeting are confirmed and implemented. The government departments responsible for tourism, information, security and protocol also reported on meeting schedules and venue arrangements, news coverage and promotion support, security, protocol, human resources and recruitment of volunteers. Details were discussed and further decisions were made during the meeting. The Chief Executive re-iterated that the forthcoming APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting is an important mission of Macao, assigned by the Central People's Government, and one of the most important tasks of the Macao SAR this year. Through the joint efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CNTA, the Macao OC and the government departments concerned, there is smooth and orderly progress with preparations, and comprehensive arrangements have been made. With support from other government departments, the Macao OC will continue striving to ensure this year's APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting will be safe and successful. Other officials attending this morning's meeting included Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Cheong U; Secretary-General of the Executive Council, Ms O Lam; Director of the Macau Government Tourist Office, Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; Commissioner of the Public Security Police, Mr Ma Io Kun; Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping; Acting Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Ms Lei Ut Mui; Director of Financial Services Bureau, Ms Vitória Alice Maria da Conceição; and Advisor to the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Ko Chin Hung. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and China is once again the APEC host country. With the blessing of the Central People's Government, the Macao SAR Government will host the upcoming APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting 2014. To make sound preparations for organizing a successful tourism ministerial meeting and achieving the goal of the Central People's Government, the Chief Executive signed an Executive Order in January to set up an organizing committee for the APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting, which is responsible for all co-ordination work. The order clearly indicates that all public departments and bodies must offer assistance if requested by the organizing committee.
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Consumer Council conducted its first 'Supermarket price survey' in July on 2 July for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets near Areia Preta and Avenida de Venceslau de Morais in N. Sra. de Fátima Parish. The latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' is now available on Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo), and the 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM's Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources through WAP channels on their mobile phones. With reference to the local six parishes and the number of supermarkets in each parish, the Council has divided around 100 supermarkets into 8 areas for price collection. The Council collects prices from these supermarkets for the provision of a more comprehensive database for consumers to check price discrepancies and make price comparisons according to their desired locations. For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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After the Master Chef Demonstration Workshop on Mexican & Peruvian Cuisine held on 19 & 26 June respectively, the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) together with the Consulate General of Argentina in Hong Kong and Macao SAR, and the Macao Association for the Promotion of Exchange between Asia-Pacific and Latin America (MAPEAL) hosted the Argentinian Cuisine Cooking Demonstration Workshop on 3 July, helping hospitality and food and beverage professionals understand more about Argentinian cuisine, Chef Sebastian Jose Guevara was invited to share the concepts of Argentinian cuisine and several recipes. Consul Mr. Luciano Battaglia (on behalf of the Consul General Mr. Gustavo Fazzari), also attended and supported the event. Chef Sebastian Jose Guevara possesses over 20 years of experience in the culinary and hospitality industry in different countries. With his broad culinary experience, he has travelled around the world for work and he had been the head chef in renowned restaurants located in Argentina, Chile, Singapore and Hong Kong SAR. He hopes to bring insights and to spread the main features of Argentinian cuisine to the general public through Argentinian gastronomy classes, seminars and workshops. He is enthusiastic in sharing his culinary skill to young chefs, training the new generation so as to spread the Argentinian culinary culture. The workshop was composed of five sessions: introduction to Argentinian culinary arts and its ingredients, introducing the recipes and preparing ingredients, key issues of the production process, demonstration, food tasting and Q&A. Three dishes were demonstrated at the workshop: Focaccia with tomatoes and toppings, braided tenderloin with Bone marrow potato with red bell pepper pesto and chimichurri, bread pudding with bananas and walnuts. The workshop attracted a total of 32 chefs from hotels and restaurants. Participants not only gained basic knowledge about Argentinian cuisine through the demonstration, but also experienced the whole production process, and tasted the Argentinian delicacies. IFT has always been dedicated to organise promotions of different ethnic cuisines for local industry and the public. In the past 3 weeks, IFT held Master Chef Cooking Demonstration on Mexican, Peruvian and Argentinian cuisines to promote Latin American culinary culture. At the same time, it aroused the interests of food service industry in Macao to explore more ideas in cooking. Through "Master Chef Cooking Demo Series", IFT forms a communication platform for local and overseas chefs. The institute will make more efforts to offer more training programmes and events to help enhance the knowledge and skills of industry professionals.
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The University of Macau (UM) recently held the Joint Meeting of the University Assembly (UA) and University Council (UC) for the 2013/2014 academic year on the new campus. Chui Sai On, chief executive of the Macao SAR, chancellor of UM, and chair of the UA, presided over the meeting and discussed strategies for UM's future development with the participants. At the meeting, Chui first thanked UA and UC members for having put forward many valuable suggestions over the years which contributed to the university's progress, noting that building a new campus had been everyone's longtime common wish and attending the UAUC Joint Meeting on the new campus for the first time made him feel a lot of emotions. Chui said that in the process of building the new campus, the central government had provided great support. He particularly thanked Edmund Ho Hau Wah, then chief executive of the Macao SAR, for advocating the construction of a new campus on Hengqin. Chui said looking back, the process of constructing a new campus had been fraught with difficulties, but the goal was achieved in the end. He expressed hope that all members of the UM community would continue to support UM's development in the future. Cheong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of Macao SAR, reported the progress of the revision of the UM Charter. He noted that the revision of the Charter was carried out to keep pace with the international trend in higher education, and the purpose of the revision is to optimise the existing structure of UM and find a more suitable mode of governance to give the university greater flexibility and autonomy in management and operation. Cheong noted that the process of revising the Charter was a complex one, but thanks to the great collaboration between the various departments and the numerous meetings of the cross-departmental task force, an actionable draft plan had been proposed within the legal framework of Macao. Cheong encouraged those involved in the Charter revision to continue to work hard to help UM complete the Charter revision as soon as possible. UM Rector Wei Zhao reported the latest developments of the university, including the objectives and progress in student education and scientific research management, the operation of the new campus, the progress of the implementation of the "4-in-1" model of education, the reform of the mode of governance, and the challenges in meeting the expectations of the government and society. Rector Wei Zhao stressed that UM would develop step by step, and would continue to do its best to promote communication and interaction with the public. He said UM would arrange for local and overseas visitors to visit the new campus through the Guided New Campus Tour programme to let them know more about UM's long-range plan for education, and would also enhance the "software" of the university by optimising the mode of governance, management procedures, curriculum, and campus culture. Wei Zhao added that on the academic front, UM would optimise the postgraduate sponsorship programme, and would continue to provide support for the two state key labs, including support in facilities and staffing. Wei Zhao noted that UM would maintain close ties and share resources with the community through various means, including opening sports and cultural facilities to the public, establishing a higher education information centre, and providing professional, high-quality consultancy service. He said UM would continue to cooperate with the Tertiary Education Services Office of Macao SAR on its work on the higher education evaluation system and would provide full support for higher education quality assurance in Macao. The UA and the UC consist of prominent members of the community, UM's management, and representatives of faculty members, students, and alumni. The following people attended the UAUC Joint Meeting: Chui Sai On, Tse Chi Wai, Lei Pui Lam, Lam Kam Seng, Wong Chong Fat, Ng Fok, Vitor Ng, Lei Pang Chu, Siu Yin Wai, Zhou Ligao, Maria Edith da Silva, Ma Iao Lai, Susana Chou, Leong Vai Tac, Joaquim Jorge Perestrelo Neto Valente, D José Lai, Tong Chi Kin, Kou Kam Fai, Au Chong Kit, Leong Heng Teng, Choi Koon Shum, Huen Wing Ming, Leong Lai, Vitória Alice Maria da Conceição, Sou Chio Fai, Ung Chi Keong, Wei Zhao, Fan Xitao, Rui Martins, Haydn Chen, Alex Lai, Hao Yufan, Shijian Mo, Xu Jie, Rose Lai, Ao Peng Kong, Kot Man Kam, Leong Wai Lok, and Wu Wai Heng. Those who sat in on the meeting included Cheong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of Macao SAR; Tam Chon Weng, chief of the Office of the Chief Executive; and Cheung So Mui, chief of the Office of Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR.
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A delegation of representatives from the Architects Association of Macau led by Cheong Cheok Kio, head of the Cultural Heritage Department of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, went to Venice, Italy to officiate the opening of the Macao Pavilion in the 14th Venice Biennale of Architecture, held on 5 June. Lao Iong, head of the Urban Planning Department of the Lands, Public Works and Transport Bureau and Leong Chong In, President of the Architects Association of Macau were invited to participate in the ceremony. Boyce Lam, head of the Special Projects Division of the Cultural Affairs Bureau and other relevant representatives also attended the ceremony. The 14th edition of the Venice Architecture Biennale runs from June to November [2014]. Hosted since 1980, the Venice Architecture Biennale has become one of the most influential international major events in the architectural arts circle and academia, providing a powerful communication platform for professionals worldwide to exchange their views on architectural arts and culture. The Biennale's curator, Rem Koolhaas – Professor of Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at Harvard University Graduate School of Design – was responsible for the theme of this edition of the exhibition: 'Fundamentals.' This year the exhibition is oriented towards research narrating the architectural development of the last 100 years to assess how urban landscape development is influenced by modern styles and how it looks like today. A total of 65 countries participate in the Biennale. The national pavilions conform to the subtheme 'Absorbing Modernity', offering an analysis of the history and modernisation process of each country and how modern architecture gradually developed an independent quality in these places. The exhibition sections are located in two areas, namely Arsenale and Giardini, showcasing the progress of global urbanization as well as the development status and integration of old and new architecture through design, video, installation, public art, case studies and conversations, and offering an important communication platform for professionals from different places around the world to exchange their views on the architectural arts and culture. It is the first time Macao is represented in this important exhibition, a participation organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and co-organised by the Architects Association of Macau. The Macao Pavilion is themed 'Happiness Square'. The word 'square' is translated from the Portuguese 'largo', an important urban site in the daily life and festive activities of the population. The 'largo' is one of the architectural characteristics of Macao and a symbol of the city's past of cultural fusion, featuring colourful buildings of western and eastern inspiration, as well as the citizens' daily lifestyle. The interaction of these buildings and daily life facilitates the emergence of a strong cultural vitality, echoing the theme of the exhibition 'Fundamentals.' The Macao Pavilion comprises four parts: 'Low Stool? Yes, More!'; 'From Below to Above'; 'Listen to the Heart' and 'The Added Layer.' These represent, respectively, the low seats in coffee stalls, the assorted decorative and floral patterns in temples and churches, the sounds of different Macao festivals and ambiences, and architectural elements featured in the external walls of old buildings, immersed in Macao characteristics which reveal the unique cultural heritage of the territory, its architectural features and traces of the citizens' quotidian. The Macao Pavilion in the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale is located next to the ticket office at Arsenale close to the main entrance of the area. The Biennale is open to the public from 7 June to 23 November. For details, please log onto: www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/news/22-04.html.
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Consumer Council conducted its eighth 'Supermarket price survey' in June on 30 June for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included 12 supermarkets in Taipa area. The latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' is now available on Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo), and the 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM's Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources through WAP channels on their mobile phones. With reference to the local six parishes and the number of supermarkets in each parish, the Council has divided around 100 supermarkets into 8 areas for price collection. The Council collects prices from these supermarkets for the provision of a more comprehensive database for consumers to check price discrepancies and make price comparisons according to their desired locations. For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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