# Delhi chemists told to drop misleading 60-80% discount ads 2026-08-26T16:07:47+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The Delhi drug control department has issued an advisory warning chemists and medical stores against advertising steep discounts of 60-80% on medicines, calling such claims unrealistic, exaggerated and misleading. The advisory, prompted by complaints about promotional boards and banners, asks retailers to ensure any discount offered is genuine, transparent and verifiable through sale bills and purchase records. While selling medicines below the maximum retail price (MRP) is permissible, the department said vague or exaggerated discount claims raise concerns about the genuineness of procurement sources. It cited a Kerala High Court order from June that upheld regulatory action against misleading discount boards. The department has directed chemist associations in Delhi to sensitise their members on the issue. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The advisory targets a practice common in Delhi's retail pharmacy market, where deep discount boards are used to attract footfall, often without clear disclosure of the actual price or MRP. The Kerala High Court's June ruling cited in the order provides legal backing for such regulatory action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Drug Price Control Order, 2013. Chemists now face a choice: comply with the advisory or risk inspection and penal action by the drug control department, which can suspend or cancel licences for violations. The key test will be how strictly the department enforces the advisory, particularly against large chains that rely on discount advertising as a core marketing tool. For a well-informed Indian reader, the background is that the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, empowers state drug controllers to regulate sale and distribution of medicines. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Straight news report, no editorial slant, leads with the department's action and factual context. This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Delhi drug control department, drugs and cosmetics act, Kerala High Court Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-chemists-told-to-drop-misleading-60-80-discount-ads/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-chemists-told-to-drop-misleading-60-80-discount-ads/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/