PESHAWAR, March 19: Sale and marketing of substandard items of daily-use under the guise of foreign products or known brands of local manufacturers is causing loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer, besides affecting health of the consumers, a survey revealed.

A variety of fake hair shampoos, soaps, shoe polish and toothpastes have flooded the markets in Peshawar and elsewhere in the province in such a large quantity that the companies concerned and their sale agents are finding it extremely difficult to cope with the situation.

Multinational companies have often complained of sale of fake products under brand names, which was harming the name and credibility of their products.

According to the multinational firms many products were being sold in the markets in their names which actually they did not manufacture.

Sale of detergents and cosmetics of all sorts has become albatross around the neck of general public throughout the province. Apparently, there is no effort in sight on the part of government functionaries who are supposed to ensure supply of genuine products to the markets for human consumption.

Small factories have been established in the residential areas so that the authorities concerned could not notice them. These companies manufacture substandard items that are supplied to the market for sale on comparatively cheap rates.

According to the doctors, use of such substandard cosmetics, shampoos and detergents were causing skin diseases. People have often complained that colour or texture of their hair changed after they used a new shampoo or bath soap, said a dermatologist.

All the vendors and small-time shopkeepers dealing in these spurious items of daily use are doing a roaring business.

The poor people are the regular buyers of these items who visit these outlets to buy cheap commodities. Karkhano (industrial) market in Peshawar is the main place from where these items are supplied to other parts of the country. These items are also sold at bus stands where vendors can find travellers to the city. They are offered these items on extremely minimum price.

“This is a well-organized and well-entrenched business being in progress in connivance with the concerned government officials,” argued a shopkeeper at Jinnah Street, Peshawar Cantonment area. He said there were factories involved in the manufacture of fake bottles, packets and stickers of multinational as well as local companies aimed at deceiving and fleecing the poor buyers.

The counterfeiters, he said, also collected empty and used bottles from scrap dealers, which were then refilled with homemade stuffs and sold in the markets. The products are then pumped into the markets where the poor people come for shopping. The poor people buy these cheap items because of their inability to buy expensive and quality articles. On the contrary, the rich people do their shopping in well-established shops where only standard items are available at much higher rate.