Audio By Carbonatix
An Australian court has ordered products in the Nurofen pain relief range off the shelves, saying the UK-based manufacturer misled consumers.
The court said products marketed to treat specific pains, such as migraines, were identical to one another.
Research also found the products were sold for almost double the price of Nurofen's standard product.
Manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser said the case related only to Australia.
It said the ruling would not be applicable in other countries, including the UK.
Reckitt Benckiser said it would comply with the Australian court order and that it "did not set out to mislead consumers".
The products affected by the order include Nurofen Back Pain, Nurofen Period Pain, Nurofen Migraine Pain and Nurofen Tension Headache.
The watchdog said the court had found each product "was formulated to treat a particular type of pain; and solely or specifically treated a particular type of pain" - but that each product contained the same active ingredient, ibuprofen lysine 342mg.
However the products were found to be "no more effective at treating the type of pain described on its packaging than any of the other Nurofen specific pain products."
Australia's consumer watchdog brought the matter to court earlier this year.
The Federal Court of Australia said the products must be taken off Australian shelves within three months.
The retail price for each of the pain-specific products was also found to be "significantly higher than that of other comparable analgesic products which also act as general pain relievers," the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACC) said.
Reckitt Benckiser is a British-based consumer goods manufacturer and makes products including Nurofen, Dettol and Harpic, among others.
It has been ordered to publish correction notices in newspapers and on its website and to pay the ACC's court costs.
This story has been amended to clarify that the products in question were different from the standard Nurofen product.
Latest Stories
-
E-Visa, Visa-Free Travel and the Future of African Integration
1 minute -
50-ton shea butter oil spill on Accra–Kumasi Highway
11 minutes -
BoG Governor proposes International Financial Services Centre in Accra to attract global investment
14 minutes -
Ghana is accelerating investment in roads, railway, ports—Mahama tells UK investors
20 minutes -
KNUST turns to quantum computing to crack Ghana’s building code barrier
21 minutes -
Mahama courts investors in London, says Ghana offers stability and strong growth outlook
21 minutes -
BoG exploring digital platforms to help small businesses raise capital – Dr Asiama
23 minutes -
Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill forces high-stakes reckoning over national sovereignty and foreign aidÂ
23 minutes -
Israel seizes Crusader-era castle in Lebanon as Netanyahu vows to expand ground offensiveÂ
30 minutes -
Mahama pitches Ghana as gateway to ECOWAS and African markets
32 minutes -
Deloitte to host 2026 Banking Bootcamp to drive industry transformation
33 minutes -
US and Iran trade strikes as Trump demands changes to proposed peace deal to end war
36 minutes -
Israel PM orders strikes on Beirut suburbs as Hezbollah conflict escalates
44 minutes -
Indigenous freight forwarders praise Tema Port management for averting ‘Dzata-Bu’ protest
46 minutes -
YEC calls for action-oriented young leaders to drive Ghana’s development
59 minutes