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ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed a Rs25 million penalty on Hyundai Nishat Motors for running a misleading Tucson discount advertisement during the SUV’s 2025 launch, calling it a deceptive marketing practice that misinformed customers.
The CCP initiated an inquiry following Hyundai’s high-profile Facebook Live event earlier this week, where the automaker unveiled the Tucson SUV with “introductory prices” of Rs4,899,000 for the GLS/FWD model and Rs5,399,000 for the ULTIMATE/AWD.
However, CCP found that the discounted prices lasted less than 24 hours. The disclaimer “for a limited time only” was printed in very small text, making it nearly unreadable for consumers. Soon after bookings opened, Hyundai raised prices by Rs200,000 and removed all mentions of the original pricing from its website and social media platforms.
The CCP ruled that this amounted to a misleading Tucson discount advertisement, accusing the company of engaging in “bait advertising”—a tactic where an attractive price is used to lure consumers but is quickly withdrawn.
In its decision, the Commission emphasized that Hyundai’s advertising in Pakistan fell short of international standards, arguing that Pakistani consumers deserve the same transparency and marketing integrity offered in other global markets.
This action sends a strong message to all companies: misleading Tucson discount advertisements and similar deceptive strategies will not be tolerated. The CCP reiterated that ethical, transparent advertising is essential, and violators will face serious consequences.
