The Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) has upheld a decision by the (CCP) 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 drug for sore throat relief.
The Tribunal ordered Reckitt Benckiser to pay a penalty of Rs30 million and to fully comply with the corrective measures prescribed by the CCP within the stipulated timeframe. The company was also directed to prominently publicize its product’s status change from medicated/drug category to food category in widely circulated English and Urdu newspapers across Pakistan.
The case originated from a complaint filed by Square Distribution & Marketing System (Pvt.) Limited, alleging that Reckitt Benckiser’s advertising campaigns misled consumers about the product’s characteristics. Following CCP proceedings, the company made substantial changes to its packaging and disclosures, including prominently displaying “Non-Medicated” in both English and Urdu on the front of the packaging and blister packs.