Misleading Nurofen packaging sparks Australian product recall

An Australian court has ordered Nurofen's UK owner to stop selling several versions of its popular painkillers that were exactly the same as standard ibuprofen pills but cost almost twice as much.

ITV News' Consumer Editor Chris Choi tweeted:

The Federal Court ruled that British consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser deceived Australians by selling Nurofen painkillers that were marketed to relieve specific ailments, such as back pain, when all of the products contained an identical amount of the same active ingredient, ibuprofen lysine.

Australia's consumer watchdog launched the court action in March, arguing that consumers were being tricked into thinking that the four products - Nurofen Back Pain, Nurofen Period Pain, Nurofen Migraine Pain and Nurofen Tension Headache - were designed to treat a specific type of pain, when in fact they were all the same.

"None of the four products is any more or less effective than the others in treating any of the particular symptoms," Justice James Edelman wrote in his judgment.

Judge Edelman gave Reckitt Benckiser three months to remove the products from Australian stores.

A spokesperson for the company, Montse Pena, said:

A separate court hearing will be held to determine any fines the company may face.