Does Pakistan need influencer marketing regulations?

On the 19th of December 2020, Gourmet News Network (GNN) anchor Imran Riaz Khan published a video on Facebook and YouTube that attempted to create a case against UHT packaged milk, citing anecdotal evidence. Gaining virality across WhatsApp with the classification of “forwarded many times'', the video attempts to dissuade audiences from using packaged milk and instead use raw milk or fresh milk.

The elephant in the room is that GNN is owned by Gourmet Foods, which in turn not only sells what it markets as fresh milk but also creates similar narratives against what is deems loose milk citing that the consumption of loose milk ‘can cause viral and bacterial diseases’ and that loose milk is usually collected and transported in contaminated environments.

In his video, Khan makes claims without providing scientific evidence, with statements going against recommendation of the World Health Organisation (WHO), against the regulations of global and Pakistani food authorities, against the endorsement of the Pakistan Medical Association, and against the official technical positions of scientific & technical associations.