Bun Scrambling Competition on Cheung Chau to open for application on February 23
The 2026 Bun Carnival on Cheung Chau is about to begin. The Bun Scrambling Competition, as the finale of the event, will start accepting applications on February 23. Physically fit persons aged 18 or above are welcome to join.
The 2026 Bun Carnival
The maximum capacity for the Bun Scrambling Competition is 200 participants. Places will be allocated by ballot via the SmartPLAY system. Applicants who reside in, work or study on Cheung Chau will be accorded priority in the ballot.
Interested persons should complete the user registration and identity authentication at SmartPLAY and submit their e-ballot applications via the system's mobile app (My SmartPLAY), website (www.smartplay.lcsd.gov.hk/home), or Smart Self-service Stations on or before March 6.
All selected applicants are required to complete safety training sessions on bun tower climbing and prevention of falls on April 12 in order to qualify for the final selection exercise of the Bun Scrambling Competition on April 26. At the selection exercise, the 24 contestants recording the shortest time in the preliminary round (including no fewer than six female participants) will be eligible to enter the semi-final on the same day to compete for the 12 finalist places (including no fewer than three female participants).
The 12 finalists will enter the Bun Scrambling Final on May 24 night. Trophies will be awarded to the champion as well as the first and second runners-up in the men's division, and to the champion in the women's division. The contestant who bags the highest number of buns within the time limit will win the "Full Pockets of Lucky Buns" prize.
To recognise the outstanding performance of the winners and enhance the atmosphere of the event, the male or female athlete who has been the champion for three times in the Bun Scrambling Competition since 2016 will become the "King of Kings" or the "Queen of Queens" of the competition and be awarded a trophy.
The 2026 Bun Carnival is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Cheung Chau Bun Festival Committee and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). Besides the Bun Scrambling Competition, the Bun Tower Climbing Team Relay will be held on May 10 morning. Local tertiary institutions, Government Departments, public utilities as well as commercial and industrial organisations will be invited to join. At the Climbing Carnival to be held in the afternoon, there will be bun tower climbing activities, game stalls, handicraft-making activities and variety shows. A Wishing Bun Tower will be set up. The winning entries of the Student Drawing Competitions will also be displayed. Members of the public are welcome to enjoy the carnival fun.
Details of the events are available at the SmartPLAY website, the mobile app (My SmartPLAY) and the 2026 Bun Carnival dedicated website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/bun/index.html). For enquiries, please contact the Islands District Leisure Services Office of the LCSD at 2852 3220.
The Bun Scrambling Competition, Photo source: reference image of HKSAR Government Press Release
DH continues to step up enforcement actions against illegal use of pharmacy logo and title with approach of Chinese New Year holidays
With the Chinese New Year holidays approaching, the Department of Health (DH) today (February 13) announced that it will continue to step up inspections of Authorized Sellers of Poisons (ASPs), commonly known as pharmacies, and Listed Sellers of Poisons, commonly known as medicine companies, throughout Hong Kong, particularly in tourist areas, to monitor their compliance with the laws and the relevant codes of practice. Last year (2025), approximately 9 600 inspections of these premises were conducted to combat illegal practices. The DH will continue to enhance enforcement actions against the illegal use of logos and titles of pharmacies and carry out follow-up investigations of suspected violations.These efforts aim to safeguard public health. The DH also reminded the public, including tourists, to verify the pharmacy logo (see Annex 1) in the prescribed form when purchasing medicines.
Stepping up inspections and enforcement
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Last year, seven limited companies and a proprietor of a retailer, all of which were not pharmacies, were convicted of displaying a logo resembling the prescribed form of a pharmacy at their premises and were fined from $3,500 to $10,000. Two other limited companies, which were also not pharmacies, committed the same offence and were convicted and fined $5,000 and $32,000 respectively in January this year.
According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138), only persons authorised by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong as ASPs are allowed to conduct the relevant retail business of selling poisons at premises registered by the Board, including poisons listed in Part 1 and Part 2 of the Poisons List at Schedule 10 to the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A). Displaying a logo in the prescribed form of a pharmacy or a logo, which resembles the logo in the prescribed form at premises other than the registered premises of a pharmacy, or using the Chinese term "" or the terms such as "pharmacy", "dispensary", or "drug-store" in connection with any business engaged in the retail sale of poisons, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.
The use of a pharmacy logo or its title as stipulated by the Ordinance is applicable to all retailers, including those that are not licensed by the Board. The DH reminded non-pharmacy businesses to refrain from illegitimate use and will continue to collect intelligence through different channels. If any retailer is suspected of illegally displaying a pharmacy logo in the prescribed form or pharmacy title, the DH will follow up and carry out an investigation immediately and conduct joint operations with relevant departments when necessary.
Label for ASPs and "Licence Scanner"
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To enable the public to identify registered pharmacies, the DH has formulated a label (see Annex 2) for identification of ASPs, and the labels have been sent to each pharmacy for display in a conspicuous position in the pharmacy.Members of the public and tourists can download the eHealth app from the website (app.ehealth.gov.hk) and use the "Licence Scanner" on its homepage to scan the QR code displayed at the pharmacy. For registered pharmacies, the message "This is a QR Code issued for licensed pharmacy" will appear alongside details of that particular registered pharmacy. Members of the public can also visit thewebsiteof the DH's Drug Office for educational materials on "'Pharmacies' in Hong Kong", as well as the names and addresses of all licensees including ASPs.
In addition, to help Mainland visitors distinguish pharmacies in Hong Kong, the DH also detailed points to note when buying medicines from pharmacies in Hong Kong on its official WeChat account (www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/108354.html).
The Department of Health (DH), Photo source: reference image
