ISLAMABAD: The Co­­mpetition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has laun­ched a nationwide investigation against companies involved in manufacturing, marketing and selling mercury-laden skin whitening creams.

The move aims to protect consumers from serious health risks and ensure fair competition in the cosmetics market.

The CCP’s Office of Fair Trade and Market Intel­li­gence Unit found that several popular whitening pro­ducts available in sto­res and online contain da­­ng­erously high levels of mercury. Many of these products falsely claim to be safe and effective while concealing mercury content from their ingredient lists.

Mercury is a toxic substance that can cause kidney damage, neurological disorders, and skin disea­ses. Its use in cosmetics is banned in most countries.

Despite this, many whitening creams in Pakistan continue to use mercury under misleading labels such as “fairness, glow, and lightening”.

Under Section 10 of the Competition Act 2010, fal­se or deceptive marketing is prohibited and can res­u­­lt in penalties of up to Rs75 million or 10 per cent of a company’s annual turnover.

The commission has initiated action against all companies responsible for producing or promoting these harmful products. It warned that such practices not only endanger public health but also distort fair market competition.

Consumers have been advised to stop using any whitening creams suspec­ted of containing high levels of mercury.

The CCP also urged citizens to rep­ort deceptive advertising or unsafe cosmetic pro­du­cts through its Online Co­­mplaint Portal available on the commission’s website.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2025