The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has fined Unilever Pakistan Rs 60 million for misleading claims made in television commercials for its hygiene products, including ‘Lifebuoy (Care and Protect) Soap’ and ‘Lifebuoy Hand Wash’.
The CCP’s bench has concluded proceedings against Unilever Pakistan, following a show cause notice for violating Section 10 of the Competition Act of 2010. This section prohibits deceptive marketing practices involving misleading information or false claims.
The inquiry was initiated after Reckitt Benckiser’s complaint about Unilever Pakistan’s claims for Lifebuoy products, such as “100% guaranteed protection from germs” and “99.9% germ protection in 10 seconds.” The CCP found that these claims were misleading, with disclaimers printed in very small fonts, making them hardly noticeable.
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The CCP found Unilever Pakistan misleading consumers with unsubstantiated health and safety claims about its products, violating Section 10 of the Competition Act. The Commission identified five distinct violations, noting that Unilever continued deceptive practices even after receiving a show cause notice.
In addition to imposing a Rs 60 million fine, the CCP has directed Unilever to submit a compliance report to the Registrar of CCP within 30 days of the order.
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