Look-alike fake brand continues to cheat consumers

Somani College students have collected more than 60 fake brand products and are exhibiting it on March 17

While Consumer Day was observed on March 15 with various organizations and associations holding awareness rallies, speeches et al, but the students of Basudev Somani College in the city are observing it in a unique manner by displaying a collection of fake consumer products whose names resembled and rhymed with the popular original brands which made it difficult even for a discerning eye to note the difference at the first glance. All the products were painstakingly collected by the students themselves by searching every nook-and-corner in the city.

Mythri and Srilakshmi, both students of first year B.Com formed a troupe of 10 members and have collected around 60 fake brands of popular consumer products by personally visiting nearby villages in and around Mysore like, Mahadevapura, Srirampura, Baragooru, Hootgalli, Metagalli, Shivapura and others over the past one month and buying them from their own pocket money whenever they spotted a fake product kept for sale in the small kirana shops which the villagers frequently visit to purchase their daily needs.

These products are never sold in cities as the city dwellers being both literate and knowledgeable, do not easily fall prey to such tactics, but seeing the products that were displayed, they too were confused for a moment and failed to recognize which was original and which was fake. Such was the combination of colours used for packing and the name chosen that the difference could not be noticed so easily. Mostly it was Agarbathis, soaps, chocolates, biscuits, and several daily used consumer products that were faked and sold off as popular brands.

Apart from this, the Department of Commerce has also put on display charts on Consumer rights, its function, responsibilities, rights, protection acts, sales manages and much more.

Speaking to Express, students said that the exhibition will create awareness among consumers and the exhibition of fake products and demo on food adulteration will be held on March 17 at College premises in Kuvempunagar.

Students of Basudev Somani College belonging to the Department of Commerce, Language, Economics and History have exhibited their collections as part of `Somani Sambhram’ three-day Management fest.

History Department

The department of history have exhibited history of Shivaji and rare pictures of Dadabai Navroji, R C Dutt, V D Bavasarkar, R C Majundar; Social and Spiritual leaders like Ramakrishnaparamahamsa, Swami Vivkenanda, Mohan Roy, Sculpture, Hampi Virupaksha, Pattada Virupaksha temple, Kallina Ratha, Gomateswara, History of Vijayanagar empire.

Language departments
The Language departments have exhibited poems of Kuvempu, Dara Bendre and list of Pampa award winners also have been displayed. Apart from this the college has organized fun-fair fest on March 18 in which traditional games like lagori, Kuntebelle, and many other will be held.

Find which is fake and original:

Eyetex – Eyefair
Kracksnack – Krackjack
Sabena – Sabeena
510 soap -501 soap
Vasu – Vastu
Fair & Lovely – Fair & Fairy
Horlicks- Horicks
Commando – Commendo
Itch Guard – Itch Rock