KARACHI:
Marketing plays a significant role in uplifting the revenues of a business. But nowadays marketing is mostly used as a tool to deceive customers. Aggressive marketing of products and services is done through electronic and social media, but at times what is promised is not delivered. Advertisements generally do not provide full information about products or services, and in clear terms. Marketing of beauty and healthcare products, in particular, mislead the targeted segments about its benefits, besides keeping them in the dark about the side-effects. Potential customers are made to believe that the product being offered — and endorsed by some famous celebrity — can do wonders overnight. With the holy month of Ramazan now approaching, potential customers will now be lured using the name of religion.
Unethical practices in marketing are prohibited under the Competition Ordinance, 2009. Section 10 of this law states that businesses should protect the rights of their competitors and customers in both monetary and non-monetary aspects. However, like so many other laws, this law is also not implemented properly in the country and remains influenced by the corporate sector. The Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan and other relevant bodies must come forward in order to safeguard the rights of consumers.
Mehar Ali Soomro
Badin
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2021.
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