Patanjali is one homegrown enterprise that is frequently in the headlines, sometimes for all the good reasons, sometimes not. While the products are very popular and widely thought of as being good quality, effective products, Baba Ramdev the face of the company and the CEO have also drawn flack from time to time. Patanjali’s foray into other consumer products had also created quite a stir on social media. So why is this hashtag now doing the rounds - #PatanjaliMisleadingConsumers?
In December 2016, a Haridwar court slapped a fine of Rs 11,00,000/- on the company Patanjali Ayurved Ltd for “misrepresentation and misbranding” of its products. It was found that products manufactured by other companies were being sold under the Patanjali label. It had also been found that packaged products such as salt, honey, mustard oil, besan and fruit jam had failed certain quality tests.
Baba Ramdev is often seen in advertisements claiming to sell fully ‘swadeshi’ products and calling upon Indians to boycott other, allegedly ‘foreign’ products even when they are very much made in India. It is also seen that the advertisements denigrate rival brands and products and make unsubstantiated, at times completely false claims.
This video claiming to tell the truth about Patanjali was widely shared on social media recently. It urged consumers not to blindly believe the ‘no chemicals’ and the ‘ayurvedic’ claim made and to check the list of ingredients before buying Patanjali products.
It is the practice of the adverts on TV, radio and print media to run down other products to prop up Patanjali. Usually, featuring Baba Ramdev, the ads accuse other products of somehow being impure, or foreign or laden with harmful chemicals, in order to show Patanjali as being desirable.
The ads also trash “unsanskari” women. It isn't just the fact that the ad of the products have very low production values and are frankly tacky. They are also extremely regressive and objectionable. The modern girl (using other products) is shown in a poor light and the traditional girl (using Patanjali of course) is seen to be the beautiful one, who garners all the compliments and the appreciation
Many continue to have a great deal of faith in the products and claim them to be effective as well as affordable and have dismissed claims against the company as false claims and marketing by rival companies.
…regarding the sometimes tall claims made by the company and its promoters.
The meme machine was activated!
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