The Competition Appellate Tribunal has upheld a decision by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) against Hyundai Nishat Motors, confirming that the company engaged in deceptive marketing during the launch of its Hyundai Tucson SUV in 2020.
The case stemmed from a promotional event streamed live on Facebook in August 2020, where Hyundai announced “introductory prices” for its Tucson models. The GLS/FWD variant was priced at PKR 4.899 million and the ULTIMATE/AWD at PKR 5.399 million. However, the CCP found that these prices were valid for less than a day, and that the disclaimer about the limited-time offer was not clearly communicated.
The Commission’s investigation revealed that shortly after the launch, Hyundai raised the prices by PKR 200,000 and removed the original pricing details from its online platforms. The CCP ruled that this amounted to “bait advertising” under Section 10 of the Competition Act, 2010. It also highlighted that Hyundai maintains more transparent advertising standards in other markets, and that Pakistani consumers should be treated no differently.
In April 2025, the CCP imposed a PKR 25 million penalty on Hyundai Nishat. The company appealed the decision to the Tribunal, which found the original pricing disclaimer insufficiently clear and the campaign misleading. While it upheld the CCP’s findings, it reduced the penalty to PKR 5 million.
CCP Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu reiterated the Commission’s commitment to fair market practices and urged all businesses to refrain from deceptive marketing tactics.
