LAHORE – The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Thursday busted a unit involved in preparing plastic bottles and labeling of a famous cold drink brand here at Ferozwala.Director General PFA Asim Javed informed the media that food safety teams conducted a grand raid in Ferozewala, targeting a mafia involved in producing substandard plastic bottles for counterfeit cold drinks. A total of 9,000 counterfeit plastic bottles, 1,200 pre-molded bottles, 368 kilograms of fake labels, molding machines, and heat ovens were confiscated, and a case has been registered.The operation revealed that the fake bottles were made from non-food grade plastic, posing serious health risks. Asim Javed, the Director General of PFA, stated that the counterfeit bottles featured fraudulent labeling of well-known brands, intended to deceive consumers. These inferior plastic bottles were supplied to units producing fake drinks, violating strict regulations that mandate the use of food-grade packaging materials. Javed emphasized that non-food grade plastics are extremely harmful to human health and that only food-grade packaging should be used for edible products.He further noted that the use of counterfeit labeling misleads consumers by making fake products appear authentic. The PFA is currently inspecting all food-related businesses across Punjab to ensure compliance and protect public health.
