The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed a fine of Rs 150 million on Meezan Beverages (Private) Limited.
According to reports, in a decision issued on Friday, the CCP ruled that Meezan’s Storm Energy Drink had deceptively copied the overall appearance, style, color scheme, bottle design, and branding elements of Sting, creating a strong likelihood of confusion or misunderstanding for consumers at the time of purchase.
Such conduct amounts to parasitic copying and constitutes deceptive marketing, which is prohibited under Pakistan’s Competition Law.
According to the CCP, this case dates back to 2018, when PepsiCo filed a complaint alleging that Meezan’s Storm Energy Drink was designed to imitate Sting in order to benefit from PepsiCo’s reputation.
Sources said that instead of addressing the facts of the case, Meezan Beverages repeatedly challenged the CCP’s jurisdiction and initiated prolonged legal proceedings. Meezan obtained injunctions from the Lahore High Court in 2018 and 2021, which caused several years of delay in the inquiry.
In June 2024, the Lahore High Court rejected Meezan’s petition, upheld the CCP’s authority, and ruled that challenging show-cause notices at the initial stage is not admissible.
