The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), while taking notice of an advertisement on boiled milk has issued notices to Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) and a leading packing company. "The commission has sought information from the PCSIR as well as the packing company regarding the basis of the claim made in the relevant advertisement," this was informed by the CCP to The Network, which brought the issue to the notice of CCP through a letter.
The letter was prompted by advertisements in the local electronic and print media, in which a leading packing using a research by the PCSIR, had contended that the use of boiled milk that is commonly used in almost every house, was not good for health, said Dr Arif Azad, Executive Co-ordinator of The Network for Consumer Protection.
The advertisement asserted that the milk boiled in a domestic kitchen not only reduces the nutrition of naturally present B vitamins by up to 36 percent but also fails to completely eliminate the germs. "But the claim runs against the practice of hundreds of years of using boiled milk in homes without any major health problem," Dr Azad said.
He said such company is involved in business of packed milk and is a market rival of traditional milk sellers. "On one hand this advertisement is misleading for the consumers, as it prevents them from using the boiled milk on flimsy grounds while on the other hand, it influences the innocent consumers to buy packed milk, instead of unpacked milk," he added.
He said The Network in its letter had pointed out that it also dishes out false and misleading information that may harm the business interest of other market competitors like open milk sellers, and it is also a clear violation of section 10 of Competition Commission of Pakistan Ordinance 2009, he elaborated. The Executive Co-ordinator feared such advertisements are likely to mislead consumers about different varieties of milk available in the market due to which The Network took the plea in the letter.
Dr Azad welcomed the immediate action by the CCP and hoped that the matter will be fully investigated as the advertisement is likely to mislead the consumers and restrict their right to accurate information about different products and the right to choose the product based on correct information. "We hope the CCP and other institutions will ensure that such advertisements, which puts the underprivileged sections of the society like milkmen at clear disadvantage and take away the right of choice from the people, will not re-appear," he said.