An 85-year-old senior citizen went for a $5 haircut but ended paying S$99 for unsolicited hair treatment; the incident raised concerns about unsolicited hair treatment schemes targeting the elderly.
An elderly Singaporean man found himself misled when he walked into a hair salon in Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, Hair Fun, for a routine $5 haircut but came out having to pay for a $99 unsolicited hair treatment. The man’s son voiced his father’s astonishment and annoyance at the hair salon’s high-priced and unsolicited treatment.
According to Hair Fun’s spokesperson, the particular staff member, who offered the treatment, was not working when reporters arrived at the shop to inquire about the matter. Offered as a promotional deal by the salon, the standard price of the argued hair treatment was S$199.
Hair Fun has an established policy of proposing hair treatments to all customers, regardless of age. But a separate client claimed his experience at the salon did not match this policy, and he received no offer for a hair treatment during his last visit.
In light of this incident, hair care professionals emphasised the importance of consulting with customers and assessing their scalp’s condition before recommending any treatment, especially towards the elderly population.
This year, the Consumers Association of Singapore sighted 15 complaints against the Hair Fun brand across its various branches for not obtaining proper consent before introducing any hair procedures.
