CCP using AI-assisted tools for product analysis: chairman

Pakistan's competition watchdog, CCP, now relies on AI-assisted analysis and web scraping to monitor product claims that may deceive buyers, according to Business Recorder. Its chairman, Farid Ahmad Tarar, flagged worries about hidden mercury in cosmetics, false claims of regulatory clearance and doubtful health statements. Potential cases pass through evidence gathering and verification before any referral for enforcement action.

The system also draws on Meta Ad Library and social media monitoring to review online advertisements, product listings and consumer-facing claims. Speaking at a session on responsible business and safe products during a conference in Moscow on 8 to 9 October, Tarar argued that false claims can push demand away from compliant firms. He cited earlier enforcement against Strepsils, Dettol, Lifebuoy and a frozen dessert sold as dairy ice cream.

Tarar also named seller anonymity, counterfeit listings, information gaps and cross-border trade as major challenges in digital markets. He added that enforcement should be paired with preventive steps, business guidance and public awareness. In a separate bilateral meeting with Maxim Shaskolsky, head of Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service, discussions focused on putting into practice the CCP-FAS memorandum signed on November 27, 2025.