The Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) upheld the ‘s (CCP) finding that Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan Limited engaged in deceptive marketing practices. The company was found guilty of disseminating misleading information about its product, Strepsils, which is registered as a food item and not a medicinal product for sore throat relief.
The Tribunal ordered Reckitt Benckiser to pay a penalty of Rs30 million and comply with the Commission’s corrective measures within the stipulated timeframe. The case was initiated by Square Distribution & Marketing System (Pvt.) Limited after alleging misleading advertising and marketing campaigns regarding Strepsils’ status and characteristics.
Following CCP proceedings, Reckitt Benckiser made significant changes to its product packaging and disclosures, prominently displaying “Non-Medicated” in both English and Urdu. The company is now required to publicize these changes through advertisements in widely circulated newspapers until full compliance is achieved.