By The Weekly Vision
Coast-based Pwani Oil company is allegedly producing massive quantities of sub-standard soap products and then dumping them in the local market, raking in millions of shillings in the process. The market consists of the unsuspecting consumer not only in Kenya but regionally, especially in the East African Community (EAC) member states.
The intense focus is on the production of its small-sized bathing soap that the company produces in massive quantities. The Weekly Vision investigations specifically focused on the Sawa bathing soap brand after getting complaints from the consumers who felt they are being at the end of a raw deal perpetuated by the multi-billion shillings soap and cooking oil producing company.
The soap question consists of the batches designated: HSL: 051923 08:53 MFG: May 08:53 MFG: May 2023 BB: May 2025 that are currently circulating on the market with many unanswered questions regarding the quality of the product. Consumers felt that when they open the tablet soap to shower or bath, the soap crumbles into pieces of two or more leaving the user with nothing in his/her hands even before they start the berthing.
The Weekly Vision posed the following questions to the company’s head of marketing Dhrubojyoti Purkayastha: “Why is Pwani Oil selling a product that crumbles in the hands of consumers when they are just beginning to use it?
How many of these products are out there on the market and for how long has your company been getting away with this?”
Then there was the critical issue of the millions in profits the company continues to rake in from the sub-standard products on the market and what impact are they having on the consumer.
Our writer could not get any answers to the questions posed to Mr Dhrubojyoti. The manufacturer also produces other popular brands like Pwani Cooking Oil, Freshi Fry Garlic, Salit Vegetable Oil, Popco Cooking Oil, Mbishi Poa Fry Mate, Detrex Germ Protection Soap, Detrex Sanitizer, Diva Antibacterial, Beauty Soap, Diva Glycerin, Sawa Family bathing soap, Sawa Liquid, Handwash, Ushindi, White Wash, White Wash Extra, Popco Bar Soap, Ndume bar soap and Rainbow Washing Power, the critical question is whether these products quality is also affected?
Our Investigations in Nairobi the Coast, Eastern, North-Eastern, Central, Nyanza, Western and Rift Valley regions of the country established that the problem was rampant with Sawa bath soap. The worst affected are the proprietor of lodgings who purchase the products in large quantities. The Kenya Bureau of Standard (KEBS) has cast doubt on whether samples of this product were brought into their labs for testing and clearance before hitting the market.
The Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFeK) confirmed having received many complaints from its members and may consider legal action after completing its investigations which will also be made public.
