{
  "id": 11429989,
  "title": "Legislators urge broader cooling-off law after abrupt Hotstone Yoga closure",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/legislators-urge-broader-cooling-off-law-after-abrupt-hotstone-yoga-11429989",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-02T11:24:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3369605/legislators-urge-broader-cooling-law-after-abrupt-hotstone-yoga-closure"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hong Kong lawmakers have called for the government to expand the scope of a proposed statutory cooling-off law to protect consumers in the rapidly evolving wellness market. The abrupt closure of Hotstone Yoga, a popular chain of studios, has prompted lawmakers to urge the government to introduce a broader cooling-off period and refund policy for prepaid fitness and beauty contracts. Currently, the government plans to introduce a bill in the Legislative Council next year that would establish a seven-day cooling-off period and a 14-day refund window for such contracts. However, lawmakers argue that the current proposals are too narrowly focused on fitness centres and beauty parlours, leaving consumers unprotected against emerging wellness trends. They argue that the legislation needs to keep pace with shifting market trends, pointing out that fitness offerings now include kickboxing, Pilates and yoga. The Consumer Council has recorded 286 complaints related to the closure, with customers claiming losses of HK$3,909,444. Police have received multiple reports of individuals who purchased class packages at a local yoga centre that abruptly closed.",
  "summary": "Hong Kong lawmakers have urged the government to widen the scope of a proposed statutory cooling-off law to cover more types of wellness market trends after the abrupt shutdown of the Hotstone Yoga chain, as claimed financial losses by customers rose to HK$3.9 million (US$497,030). Their calls followed the government’s commitment to introduce a bill in the Legislative Council in the first half of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
        "title": "Legislators urge broader cooling-off law after abrupt Hotstone Yoga closure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/legislators-urge-broader-cooling-off-law-after-abrupt-hotstone-yoga",
        "published": "2026-10-02T11:24:42.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}