Addressing journalists at a press conference in Kampala on 16 October, P&G country manager Andrew Plastow said that counterfeit and sub-standard unhygienic products are finding their way into the market easily and Always is being targeted.
“If this situation is not brought under control then legal businesses like ours will lose revenue and therefore risk jobs,” he said. “Resulting infections would put a heavy burden on the public health facilities, lower productivity, increase [the] school drop out rate among girls and young women.” Plastow called on the regulatory authorities (Uganda Bureau of Standards and Uganda Revenue Authority) and traders to protect consumers from exposure to sub-standard products with heavy risks.
According to Plastow, P&G estimates that it has lost an estimated 20% of its market in Uganda, to fake products. Always is not the only product suffering from heavy losses to counterfeits in Uganda, home Appliances dealers, toiletry, and battery dealers, beverage and appliance dealers have also complained of the proliferation of fake products.
P&G has promised to convene other affected companies in partnering with the relevant government agencies to stem this dangerous tide. “Counterfeits not only undermine the rule of law - as espoused in the Anti-counterfeit Bill - therefore denying government the much needed revenue, but also a serious fraud on the consumer who never goes out to buy fake product,” Plastow said.
