 放大圖片
■配方奶粉是大部分嬰兒每日的必需品，圖為一名遊客正在挑選奶粉。 資料圖片
食物及衛生局局長高永文1月24日出席電台節目時指出，雖然嬰兒配方奶粉供應商及零售商已分別承諾，確保奶粉供應量充足及每人限買4罐奶粉，但為保障港嬰奶粉長飲長有，不排除採嚴厲措施打擊藥房囤積行為。本港是奶粉熱門銷售地，奶粉需求殷切，年近歲晚，水貨客大量購買本港奶粉，部分商店以囤積托價或「炒上炒」等方法謀利，令本港部分地區出現奶粉搶購潮，引起市場恐慌。當局應檢討供應機制，增加奶粉供應，滿足本港市民需求；同時應加強打擊水貨客，並調查囤積托價情況，採取懲罰措施，維護市場秩序。
事實上，本港近期奶粉入口量不但沒有減少，而且比往年增加，但是現時有藥房壟斷奶粉貨源，大量購入後只在市面提供小量供應，導致市場供不應求。當局應深入調查奶粉供應不足的原因，對症下藥之餘，加強突擊巡查力度，對市面出現人為托價、選擇性售賣奶粉的商店，當局應嚴懲重罰，以起阻嚇作用，確保奶粉零售渠道暢通。隨著近年自由行訪港旅客不斷增加，當局應和內地出入境有關部門研究機制，制定適當措施，區分水貨客和一般自由行旅客，限制水貨客之餘，避免削弱內地旅客來港消費意慾。
Ensure infant formula supply to maintain order in the market
The Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man pointed out in a radio programme on 24 January that he would not rule out the possibility of taking strong measures to combat stockpiling of infant formula milk powder (infant formula) by drug stores in order to guarantee the steady supply of infant formula to local babies in Hong Kong, even though suppliers and retailers had respectively agreed to ensure adequate supply of infant formula and to limit purchase by individuals to 4 cans per person. Hong Kong is a sales hot spot for infant formula and the demand has been very high. As the Lunar New Year draws near, parallel traders buy infant formula from Hong Kong in large quantities. Some stores push up the price by stockpiling or speculative reselling in a bid to gain greater profits. This has caused a rush for infant formula in some districts and led to panicking in the market. The authorities have to review the supply mechanism of infant formula and try to satisfy the needs of the local people by increasing supply. At the same time, the authorities ought to put in stronger effort in combating parallel trading activities as well as investigating the situation of stockpiling and price mark-up. Punitive measures should be imposed to restore order in the market.
In fact, recent import of infant formula into Hong Kong has not decreased; instead it has increased compared to past years. The problem is that some drug stores which monopolize the sourcing of infant formula put only a limited amount on sale after stocking large quantities. This is why supply does not meet demand. The authorities should probe deep into the causes of infant formula shortage and tackle the problem with the right moves. Apart from this, they should step up unannounced inspections to check whether there is deliberate price mark-up or discrimination in selling the infant formula. Severe punishments should be imposed on stores that are found committing these offences to act as a deterrent and so to ensure a smooth retail channel of infant formula. As the number of individual mainland travellers to Hong Kong continues to increase in recent years, the authorities should join force with the relevant immigration departments on the mainland in examining the mechanism and formulating appropriate measures to differentiate between parallel traders and general individual travellers. While containing parallel trading activities, mainland travellers* desire to spend in Hong Kong should not be undermined.（節自2013年1月25日香港《文匯報》） ■Translation by Tung-ming [ tungming23@gmail.com ]
|
放大圖片
