HairFun admits to unfair trade practices in Singapore; elderly customers pressured into expensive treatments
SINGAPORE, June 4 — Hair salon chain HairFun has admitted to using unfair trade practices targeting elderly customers and has agreed to cease such conduct, refund affected individuals, and implement consumer protection measures, authorities said.
The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) launched investigations into HairFun following complaints received by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) about aggressive and misleading sales tactics, according to a report published in Channel News Asia today.
Unannounced visits to three HairFun outlets in October 2024 revealed that from May 2023 to July 2024, the salons lured elderly customers with offers of low-cost haircuts, then pressured them into paying for expensive treatment packages they did not request.
In one case, an elderly man visited the Ang Mo Kio outlet for an S$8 (RM26) haircut but was falsely told he had scalp haemorrhaging. He was then charged nearly S$1,000 for a hair wash and 10-session treatment package he had not consented to.
The customer only discovered the deception after a doctor confirmed there was nothing wrong with his scalp.
CCCS also found that the same salons previously operated under the name Scissor & Comb, against which similar complaints were lodged between 2018 and 2022.
HairFun Beauty Pte Ltd, HairFun Pte Ltd, and their directors, Roland Teo Jian Hao and Chiong Hong Hioh, have admitted to the unfair practices and committed to ceasing such actions.
They also agreed to a five-day cooling-off period for package purchases and have cooperated with CASE to refund nearly all affected consumers, amounting to about S$12,500.
CCCS chief executive Mr Alvin Koh stressed the importance of protecting elderly consumers and urged businesses to ensure clarity and consent in all transactions.
CASE president Melvin Yong welcomed the outcome and said the organisation will continue working with CCCS to hold unethical businesses accountable.
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