CCP SUPPORTS THE CODE FOR ADVERTISORS TO CURB DECEPTIVE MARKETING
ISLAMABAD ( Web News )
The CompetitionCommission of Pakistan (CCP) extends its support to the Pakistan AdvertisersSociety (PAS) encouraging a self-regulatory mechanism that ensures compliancewith the Competition Law by the PAS member organizations in their marketingpractices.
PAS membership comprises of various leading local and international brands, representing various sectors ofthe economy including FMCG, Banks, Insurance, Telecommunication, Oil marketing, and electrical goods. This forum brings together marketing and advertisingprofessionals with the objective of promoting good industry practices towardsresponsible marketing and advertising.
As part of CCP’s advocacystrategy, in the latest engagement, the Commission reiterated its commitment to foster competition in all spheres of economic and commercial activities in Pakistan. The major development of this engagement was CCP’s support extendedto the PAS’s Code of Advertising Practice (COAP).
This is a significant step towardpromoting a self-regulatory mechanism in ensuring responsible marketing andadvertising activities with the least intervention needed from the Regulator. The CCP Officials highlighted that true and fair advertising is an important responsibility towards the consumers and the society at large.
CCP supports the Code as it aimsto promote the best professional and ethical practices in the field of advertising besides, CCP facilitates an enabling environment in the economy for commercial activities. The contents of the code are largely aligned with the provisions ofthe Competition law and are to be self-monitored and implemented by the PAS council. The main focus is to deter misleading and deceptive marketing toward consumers and ensure that best practices are in place.
In this latest engagement, it was also deliberated that false and misleading information on digital platform sparticularly through AI, is an emerging challenge to be jointly addressed toprotect the consumers. PAS officials apprised that they are expecting further expansion in their membership and would appreciate that trainings are also conducted for their member organizations including sector-specific trainings.CCP officials appreciated the role PAS is playing as a focal point in various aspects and its expansion is a confirmation of it.
The CCP delegation was led byMr. Salman Amin (Member) accompanied by two DGs, Mr. Shahzad Hussain and Mr.Ahmed Qadir. The PAS was represented by Mr. Qamar Abbas, Executive Director,Ms. Afsheen Rizavi, GM whereas the two PAS council members who joined were Mr.Asif Aziz Chief Business Officer-Jazz and Syed Usman Qaiser, Head of Marketing, Jubilee Life Insurance Company Ltd.