The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has passed an order against Al-Hilal Industries for advertising its product, “Fresher Juice” to be “100% pure” without having reasonable basis and misleading the consumers, which amounts to deceptive marketing practices under Section 10 of the Competition Act 2010. A CCP bench comprising of the Chairperson Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan and Member Mr. Shahzad Ansar issued the order. The Commission had earlier issued a show cause notice to Al-Hilal industries for advertising its product Fresher Juice to be “100% pure” while the ingredients printed at the reverse side of the pack included added sucrose and acidulant. The company admitted to have used fruit pulp reconstituted with water sucrose, acidulants and vitamin C and it was held that the claim of “100 % pure juice” cannot be justified as it lacks reasonable basis and misleads consumers into thinking that Fresher Juice is “100% pure” when it is like any other packaged juice or nectar with additives. Following the Commission’s show cause notice, the company submitted an undertaking to unconditionally remove the claim of 100% pure from all labels as well as print and electronic advertisements of the product Fresher Juice. As part of the CCP’s crackdown on misleading advertisements by juice companies, the CCP also warned Six-B Food Industries for advertising “100 % fruit inside” their product VIVO Juice while the ingredients at the back of the bottle included sucrose, acidulant, vitamin C, Artificial Flavor and Food Colour. Six-B Food industries voluntarily submitted an undertaking on stamp paper regretting the violation and removing the claim of 100% fruit inside from all print and electronic advertisements. The Bench emphasised the need for the undertakings to say what they mean and show what they sell while marketing their products in order to prevent deceptive practices. Keeping in view the cooperation extended, the CCP Bench, did not impose any penalty for the committed violation. However, the undertakings are reprimanded to ensure more responsible behaviour in the future with respect to the marketing of their products. It was also held in the order that if there are other undertakings carrying out deceptive marketing of similar nature with respect to juice products they need to be proceeded against in order to rectify such conduct; failing which, the Commission shall take a stricter penal action .
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