The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has successfully recovered Rs. 30 million from Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan Limited after the Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) upheld its findings in a deceptive marketing case related to the Strepsils brand.

The penalty stems from a CCP order dated February 9, 2021, which concluded that the company violated Section 10(2)(b) of the Competition Act, 2010 by presenting misleading claims about the product’s nature.

According to the Tribunal’s ruling, Reckitt Benckiser created the impression that Strepsils was a medicinal treatment for sore throat relief, despite its deregistration as a drug and its later classification as a food product.

The Tribunal not only upheld the CCP’s findings but also directed the company to pay the Rs. 30 million penalty and strictly implement corrective measures within the prescribed timeline.

The case was initiated after a complaint by Square Distribution & Marketing System (Pvt.) Ltd., which alleged that the product’s advertising misled consumers regarding its medical status.

Following regulatory action, the Tribunal noted that the company revised its packaging and disclosures, including the prominent addition of the “Non-Medicated” label in both English and Urdu on packaging and blister packs.

CCP further directed Reckitt Benckiser to run public awareness campaigns in major English and Urdu newspapers to clearly communicate the product’s reclassified status until full compliance is ensured.

The Commission said the recovery reinforces its commitment to curbing misleading advertising, ensuring transparency in product marketing, and protecting consumer rights in the marketplace.