Tea whiteners not to be sold as milk: DG PFA

LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) instructed companies on Sunday to add the text "this is not milk" to the packaging and labeling of tea whiteners. In the latest orders issued by Director General (DG) PFA Noorul Ameen Mengal, companies producing tea whiteners are required to print the required text on 15% of the carton’s total area. Companies will not be allowed to sell tea whiteners in packages devoid of the required inscription following June 1. As per the PFA’s instructions, manufacturers will be required to sell the old stock with a sticker containing the required text after June 1. "Using tea whitener as milk is detrimental to the health of both children and adults alike," said Mengal. Earlier in January, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) imposed fines of Rs62.29 million on Engro Foods Limited (EFL), Rs2 million on Noon Pakistan Limited (NPL), and Rs500,000 on Shakarganj Foods Products Limited (SFP) for violating Section 10 of the Competition Act 2010.

According to the statement, EFL in its marketing campaign for its product Dairy Omung, particularly the television commercial, gave the net impression that Omung is milk and not a dairy drink, while the company’s website termed Omung as an alternative to milk thereby deceiving the unsuspecting consumers.

“The order further noted that the packaging and labeling of NPL’s product Dairy Rozana gave a general net impression that the product is milk and not a dairy drink, thus deceiving the consumers about the product,” the statement said.

The authorities found SFPL's product Qudrat's labeling on the packaging "deceptive" in the absence of a proper and sufficient disclosure about the product. “CCP’s order states that when material information pertaining to products or services is inaccurate or incomplete it’s likely to mislead consumers and affect competitors in violation of Section 10 of the Competition Act,” the CCP handout stated.

The CCP imposed penalties on companies in accordance with the severity of violations and their likely impact on competition in the market. The order warned manufacturers against violation of the provisions of competition law.