The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed a Rs. 25 million fine on Nishat Hyundai Motors for deceptive marketing tactics during the 2020 launch of its Hyundai Tucson SUV.
The penalty was imposed following an investigation into a Hyundai Facebook Live event during which it introduced the Tucson with “introductory prices” of Rs. 4,899,000 for the GLS/FWD model and Rs. 5,399,000 for the ULTIMATE/AWD model. The probe found that the special prices were valid for less than 24 hours, with the disclaimer “for a limited time only” printed in very small, hard-to-read text.
Shortly after the booking window, Hyundai increased the prices by Rs. 200,000 and removed all mentions of the original prices from their website and social media pages.
The CCP ruled that this marketing strategy was misleading and unfair, saying Hyundai didn’t clearly explain the terms of the offer and created confusion among customers. They called it a case of “bait advertising,” where consumers are attracted with a low price that disappears almost immediately.
The Commission also noted that Hyundai follows better marketing practices in other countries, and Pakistani consumers deserve the same standards. This fine is a clear warning to companies: honest advertising matters and misleading the public comes with consequences.