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Fake cosmetics swamp market


Published : 29 Nov 2020 09:59 PM | Updated : 30 Nov 2020 01:58 PM

As the winter sets in, substandard and fake cosmetic products have flooded the country's markets, including capital Dhaka, metropolitan cities, district towns and even rural areas.

Such substandard cosmetic products could potentially cause many diseases, including skin cancer, to render thousands of users vulnerable, experts said.

Production and import of different products of popular brands have been decreased due to Covid-19 pandemic. 

During this time, the sale and production of counterfeit products have been increased drastically.

In the last four months, law enforcement agencies and various agencies have caught huge fake products in about 30 factories while conducting drives.

Mobile courts of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection seized huge quantities of substandard products from the drives.

According to BSTI sources, most of the counterfeit products are cosmetics. This trend has increased during the pandemic.  Last year, BSTI seized fake cosmetics from five institutions. So far this year, the only BSTI has seized fake cosmetics worth Tk 8.3 crore from 15 factories. 

Rashedul Quayum, Legal Director & Company Secretary at Unilever, said “It was not possible to properly monitor during the general holidays amid the pandemic. Taking the advantage of lax monitoring by law enforcement agencies, a section of unscrupulous businessmen is producing fake products. More drastic measures will have to be taken to stop the production of counterfeit products.”

“Buyers also need to be aware to buy products. The bar code on the company’s packaging should be verified while purchasing any product,” he added.

Dermatology and Venereal Diseases Department Professor of Dhaka Medical College Rashed Mohammad Khan told The Bangladesh Post that “The harmful ingredients of fake cosmetics can lead to various skin diseases. Prolonged use of these products causes skin cancer.”

 “The whitening creams did not produce fairness. Rather they harmed the skin which later became vulnerable to diseases because mercury was used to reduce melanin in the skin which bleached it to look whiter,” he added.

Fake beauty products like face creams, face powder, soap, lotion, shampoo, snow, body lotion, face-wash, lipstick, nail polish and liquid makeup remover are being openly sold in most of the city shopping centres.

The manufacturers are using labels of reputed international and local brands including Lakme, L’Oreal, Dove, Clear, Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Garnier, Johnson and Johnson, Nivea and Unilever on their fake products to regularly cheat customers.

Meanwhile, consumers can not differentiate between the counterfeit and actual products. 

Masuma Urmi, a housewife living in Mohammadpur area in the capital, said, “The fake ones use the containers and labels of the original ones and they look same. Therefore, it is very much difficult to differentiate the fake cosmetics from the real ones.”

Masum Arefin, deputy director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection said, “At first, consumers should be aware of counterfeit products. You have to buy the products after scrutinizing. The tempting offer on different products needs to be verified before buying the product.” 

He also urged the buyers to lodge complaints if they are cheated by buying products.