Fake cosmetics are selling freely in the Indian market and the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to take the initiative to keep a check on the fake cosmetics. Maha FDA planned to talk with cosmetic brands like Loreal, Hindustan Unilever among other major manufacturers for drafting a policy to stop the illegal supply of spurious cosmetics in the interest of consumers.
According to an FDA official, recommendation comes out like the packaging with tamper-proof along with other strategies that will be discussed with the companies to curtail circulation of fake cosmetics in the state.
This move takes speed after the recent cases of fake cosmetics found by the Maharashtra FDA
which were being packed and allegedly sold in packs of reputed brands. This was then sold to customers through online channels, supermarkets, and beauty parlors. The cosmetics were being manufactured and sold in contravention to Section 27(a) (1) and Section 17 D (d) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
The prosecution has been launched against the offenders involved in manufacturing fake cosmetic products without a license. FDA vigilance team raided three premises across Mumbai and spurious products worth over Rs. 10 lakh were seized as part of the crackdown.
Cases of spurious cosmetics have been rampant in the last one year and the state drug regulator is planning to introduce a trace and track mechanism to curb the clandestine activity.
The central government is also planning to print a 14-digit number on the labels of pharmaceutical brands along with a mobile number of the manufacturer. This will help check the genuineness and quality of a drug by sending a text message to the given number to get details of the manufacturer, batch number or expiry date.
The illegal supply of fake cosmetics involved sourcing out semi-finished products like shampoo, cream, ointment, oil and other products of the reputed brands and also the packaging material for further refilling and repacking.
