SHENZHEN, Huizhou and Dongguan consumer councils yesterday began distributing consumer advice brochures on six sectors which have seen a rise in disputes.

The sectors addressed are food safety, home decor, commercial promotions, automobiles, decoration materials and mobile phones.

The brochures are one of the measures being taken to mark World Consumer Rights Day, which falls March 15.

For the purchase of automobiles, the brochures list potential problems arising from vehicle selection, maintenance, car insurance and refunds.

Consumers who have been involved in disputes related to these sectors could lodge complaints and have them resolved in any of the three cities from yesterday, the consumer councils told a joint press conference yesterday.

In recent years, complaints about problems arising from these sectors topped the complaint lists, Chen Shaowen, head of the Shenzhen Consumer Council, said. Chen said it was often a long and arduous process for consumers to have their complaints resolved, especially when they encountered a dispute in another city.

"We hope the brochures can help consumers avoid potential disputes and protect their rights when problems occur. Consumers can also spend less time having their problems resolved," Chen said.

In 2009, the number of automobile-related complaints in Shenzhen, one of the country's biggest automobile markets, surged by 176 percent and that of mobile phones also skyrocketed.

In a similar fashion, Huizhou and Dongguan consumer councils had also received a large number of complaints related to home decor products and commercial promotions.

Source:Shenzhen Daily