Abstract
DNA Manufacturers will place as much as S$1 million with an impartial escrow agent to refund eligible clients after a CCS investigation discovered unfair gross sales practices.
Client Affiliation of Singapore (CASE) obtained 53 complaints involving greater than S$980,000 in disputed transactions between August 2024 and October 2025, with many complainants aged 60 and above.
Clients who bought services or products at chosen DNA Manufacturers retailers in January 2023 might qualify for refunds in the event that they skilled undue stress throughout their purchases.
SINGAPORE: A magnificence remedy shouldn’t finish with clients feeling pressured into spending cash they by no means deliberate to half with. But that was what some customers skilled at DNA Manufacturers’ retailers.
DNA Manufacturers has agreed to offer as much as S$1 million in refunds after a Competitors and Client Fee of Singapore (CCS) investigation (July 30) discovered that some workers used coordinated, high-pressure gross sales techniques to push clients into shopping for merchandise and packages they didn’t intend to buy.
The refund fund will probably be positioned with an impartial escrow agent and administered by the Customers Affiliation of Singapore (CASE).
Investigation discovered coordinated high-pressure gross sales techniques
DNA Manufacturers runs magnificence and wellness retailers throughout Singapore below the manufacturers The Mineral Boutique, Beautique, SAE-REN, Jingran, Harmonix, Allura and Comfeet.
CCS stated its investigation discovered that since 2023, one space supervisor and a number of other workers had used deliberate and coordinated gross sales techniques to stress clients into making purchases they hadn’t supposed.
One tactic concerned making use of facial masks after therapies had already ended, leaving clients inside remedy rooms whereas workers continued their gross sales pitches till purchases had been made.
Investigators additionally discovered that some workers requested clients what number of bank cards they owned, claiming it was to examine promotions. CCS stated the data was as an alternative used to evaluate how a lot every buyer might afford to spend.
The stress was even stronger for some aged clients. CCS stated sure workers checked clients’ Central Provident Fund (CPF) balances. In a minimum of one case, a buyer was pressured into utilizing CPF financial savings to pay for magnificence packages and merchandise.
Some workers additionally helped clients change their CPF withdrawal limits earlier than directing them to close by banks or ATMs to withdraw money. CCS described the techniques as deliberate and calculated.
Complaints concerned nearly S$1 million in disputed purchases
CASE obtained 53 complaints towards DNA Manufacturers between August 2024 and October 2025. The complaints concerned greater than S$980,000 in disputed transactions, CASE president Melvin Yong wrote in a Fb submit.
CASE had beforehand stated about half the complaints concerned clients who spent greater than S$10,000. No less than 40 per cent of complainants had been aged 60 and above.
The complaints lined Beautique retailers in Ang Mo Kio, Orchard Plaza, The Centrepoint and Toa Payoh, in addition to The Mineral Boutique retailers in NEX, Jewel and Wheelock Place.
CCS stated, nonetheless, that its investigation discovered no proof that the corporate’s administrators personally directed or participated within the unfair practices.
After the investigation started, DNA Manufacturers dismissed or suspended the workers concerned and barred them from receiving gross sales commissions.
The corporate has additionally strengthened workers coaching, elevated administration oversight, launched stronger compliance measures and dedicated to taking formal disciplinary motion towards comparable misconduct in future.
All retailers linked to DNA Manufacturers can even show a 14-day refund coverage for purchasers. This coverage is separate from the particular refund scheme introduced by CCS.
Eligible clients can declare refunds by CASE
DNA Manufacturers will deposit as much as S$1 million with an impartial escrow agent to fund refunds for eligible clients.
Individuals who purchased services or products from specified DNA Manufacturers retailers from January 2023 onwards and skilled undue stress or aggravating circumstances throughout their purchases might qualify. Refund quantities will depend upon the details of every case.
CASE will administer the refund programme. Clients who imagine they could qualify ought to put together supporting paperwork, together with receipts, financial institution or bank card statements and messages exchanged with workers, earlier than submitting a declare.
Claims will be made by CASE’s hotline at 6277 5100 from Monday to Friday, between 9 am and 5 pm, or on-line by its complaints portal.
Full particulars of the refund scheme and eligibility standards can be found on the CSS web site, which additionally contains an infographic explaining the claims course of.
Profitable claims will probably be paid by PayNow. Eligible clients can count on refunds from July 2027, with your complete claims course of anticipated to take as much as 12 months.
CCS warns companies towards unfair or high-pressure gross sales techniques
Alvin Koh, Chief Government of CCS, stated customers ought to by no means really feel trapped or pressured into spending cash they by no means supposed to spend, particularly when retirement financial savings grow to be a part of the gross sales course of.
Mr Koh added that CCS doesn’t intervene in each shopper dispute and as an alternative prioritises circumstances involving wider shopper hurt. Companies that exploit customers by stress techniques ought to count on agency enforcement motion, he stated.
CCS stated it is going to proceed monitoring DNA Manufacturers and received’t hesitate to take additional enforcement motion if new complaints or unfair commerce practices emerge.
Shopping for a magnificence package deal ought to at all times be a alternative made freely, with out stress or intimidation. The refund scheme provides affected customers an opportunity to recuperate their losses, whereas the case sends a robust message that companies which depend on unfair or high-pressure gross sales techniques can face severe penalties.
