I have read with interest a news item published in various newspapers on Tuesday, February 16, 2016, that the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed a fine of Rs20 million on A Rahim Foods (Private) Limited (Dawn Foods) for copying the product packaging and labeling of K&N’s Foods (Private) Limited (K&N’s) frozen and/or processed meat products in violation of the Competition Act, 2010.
Through your columns, I want to salute the Competition Commission of Pakistan for taking a brave and timely action saving the end-users from buying fake products in the name of a renowned manufacturing company K&N’s earning a good name through their good reputation.
The satisfying thing in this case is that the order has been passed by a bench comprising CCP Chairperson Vadiyya Khalil, Fair Trade and Advocacy officer Dr Shahzad Ansar and Cartels and Trade Abuses officer Ikramul Haque Qureshi not before disposing of the proceedings arising out of the show cause notice issued to Dawn Foods after a CCP inquiry found it to be in prima facie violation of Section 10 of the Competition Act. CCP had initiated the inquiry into the matter pursuant to a complaint filed by K&N’s.
K&N’s also deserve praise for not letting the Dawn Food copy their products without any cogent reasons.
I hope that by this action taken by the CCP, the other manufacturers of food items would avoid copying the packaging and labeling of other famous products just to increase their sales without putting in extra money and efforts and be-fooling the consumers.
FAREED A SIDDIQI
Karachi
