Strepsils maker Reckitt Benckiser pays Rs3 Crore Penalty over Misleading Ads

ISLAMABAD – Strepsils was a familiar name in medicine cabinets and pharmacy counters across Pakistan. But behind a trusted brand, a legal battle was brewing over how the product was being presented to consumers. That dispute now ended with Reckitt Benckiser paying a Rs3 crore penalty after regulators ruled that the company’s marketing created a misleading impression about the product’s medicinal status. For years, many Pakistanis used Strepsils lozenge believing as medicated remedy for sore throat relief. Now, that perception landed Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan in trouble, with the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) recovering hefty Rs30 million penalty after a tribunal upheld findings that consumers were misled about the product’s reality. Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) backed CCP’s 2021 ruling against Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan, saying the company’s advertising and marketing campaigns created the impression that Strepsils remained a medicinal product even after it had been deregistered as a drug and reclassified as a food item. The decision is said to be a major victory for consumer rights advocates and regulators seeking tougher action against misleading marketing practices. The case originated from complaint filed by Square Distribution & Marketing System (Pvt.) Limited, which accused multinational company of giving consumers an inaccurate picture of the product’s nature and characteristics. After reviewing the matter, the CCP found that the company had violated Section 10(2)(b) of the Competition Act, 2010, which prohibits deceptive marketing and the dissemination of misleading information. Tribunal not only upheld regulator’s findings but also ordered company to pay Rs30 million penalty and fully implement corrective measures within the prescribed timeframe. The ruling emphasized that consumers must be clearly informed that Strepsils is a non-medicated product and not a medicinal drug. Facing regulatory scrutiny, Reckitt Benckiser introduced changes