ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 17: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has fined Unilever Pakistan Rs 6 crores for airing false claims through television commercials for its hygiene and cleansing products, “Lifebuoy (Care and Protect) Soap” and “Lifebuoy Hand Wash,” following nearly three years of investigation and legal proceedings.
based on a grievance over Lifebuoy Soap and hand wash that Reckitt Benckiser (RB) filed a few years ago. The CCP looked into the unequivocal claims made by Unilever Pakistan Limited about its goods, including “world’s no. 1 germ protection soap,” “100% guaranteed protection from germs,” and “99.9% germ protection in 10 seconds.” The disclaimers regarding these promises, according to the inquiries, were printed in very small type and were scarcely readable.
Although Unilever appears to have been punished for exaggerating the benefits of its product, marketing is not the only factor at work here. It should be mentioned that one of these businesses has already filed a complaint with the authority alleging fraudulent marketing practices against the other. Therefore, it becomes crucial to comprehend the workings of the antibacterial soap industry, the connections among these businesses, and the extent to which misleading marketing affects the sector.
The Order also pointed out that Unilever’s dishonest business methods differed by country, using different language for the same product in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and the UK, among other places. Pakistan was judged to be the source of the worst deceptions, which the Commission considered intolerable.
