UK BASED MANUFACTURER IN AUSTRALIA EXPOSED FOR MAKING MISLEADING CLAIMS

BY ANGELA DANIELS

The Australian watchdog, Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has in an Australian court, successfully challenged the integrity of the UK-based Reckitt Benckiser, a manufacturer of the Nurofen pain relief range. Reckitt Beckiser has therefore been ordered to remove the Nurofen series from their Australian shelves, stating that the manufacturer has misled its customers. By marketing the products as treating specific pains, such as migraines, which were identical one to another. The court found that each product was formulated to treat a particular type of pain, whereas, they all contained the same active ingredient, Ibuprofen lysine 342 mg.

One product was found to be no more effective in treating the type of pain described on its package than any other Nurofen specific products. In other words, an individual could effectively use any of the products for all types of pain in the range, yet could potentially be misled into purchasing two or three different products of Nufrofen to treat more than one types of pain. This can also cause a potential of Nurofen. Although Reckitt Benckitt denied intent to mislead, the facts are not convincing.

DOUBLE PRICE

Interestingly, the products were found also to be sold for almost double the price of Nurofen, the standard product. This gives the impression that the other products are of special value formulated for their specific purpose.

Although, the Australian court ordered Reckitt Beckitt to publish correction notices in newspapers and on its website, no indication has been given on the timeline within which these are to happen.

The products are prominent on the shelves of UK chemist stores, such as Boots, Superdrug and everywhere in other countries. Dettol and Harpic are among other products by Reckitt and Benckiser.  It is unlikely that  millions of individual UK customers would discover what is actually going on, situation unless the products are taken off our shelves.

This disappointing affair begs the question whether UK’s consumer watchdog should not look into this matter and possibly other drug manufacturers making similar misleading claims.