The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has fined Reckitt Benckiser (RB) Pakistan, the producer of Dettol soap, Rs. 15 million for misleading marketing practices and breaching Section 10 of the Competition Act.
A press release states that the Competition Appellate Tribunal has upheld the Competition Commission of Pakistan’s (CCP) decision against Reckitt Benckiser (RB) Pakistan for deceptive marketing practices related to its flagship product, ‘Dettol’.
The Commission received a formal complaint from Unilever Pakistan accusing RB of conducting a misleading and unethical advertising campaign for its “Dettol Soap” through print and electronic media.
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After an inquiry, it was determined that RB could not substantiate its advertisement claims that Dettol Soap kills up to 99.9% of germs and offers 24-hour protection against germs, colds, and flu.
As a result, RB was found to have engaged in deceptive marketing practices, breaching the Competition Act of 2010.
In its December 26, 2019, order, the CCP agreed with the inquiry committee’s findings and held RB responsible for spreading false and misleading information about its products.
The CCP noted that these claims could harm other businesses and mislead consumers regarding the product’s attributes and quality.
As a result, the CCP imposed a Rs 30 million fine on RB.
RB appealed the CCP’s decision to the Competition Appellate Tribunal. The Tribunal upheld the CCP’s findings on RB’s violations of Section 10 of the Act but reduced the penalty from Rs 30 million to Rs 15 million.