Pakistan FMCG Importers Association (PFIA), has expressed serious concerns over the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) new directives requiring the retail price, sales tax, and total price of imported goods covered under the Third Schedule to be permanently printed on product packaging, stating that compliance with the requirement is practically impossible for imported products. The Association claimed under Sales Tax General Order (STGO) No. 8 of 2026, issued by the FBR, importers have been directed to ensure that all imported products falling under the Third Schedule carry the retail price, sales tax, and total price in a clear, prominent, permanent, and non-removable manner as an integral part of the packaging or label. The order further prohibits the use of separate stickers or removable labels for displaying this information. PFIA Chairman Anjum Nisar in a statement issued here on Monday said that globally, multinational brands manufacture products for multiple markets on the same production lines, with packaging pre-printed in accordance with international standards. Requiring manufacturers to print Pakistan-specific retail prices and taxes at overseas factories, or to produce separate packaging exclusively for Pakistan, is not only commercially impractical but would also significantly increase import costs, disrupt supply chains, and adversely affect product availability. He further explained that the final retail price of imported goods is determined only after the products arrive in Pakistan, as it depends on factors such as freight charges, exchange rate fluctuations, customs duties, and other import-related costs. Therefore, it is not feasible to have Pakistan-specific retail prices and sales tax printed on packaging before shipment from the country of origin. He urged the FBR to review the condition for imported products and allow importers to use secure, tamper-proof stickers or another practical mechanism for affixing retail prices locally. Such an approach, he said, would ensure that consumers receive accurate pricing information while avoiding unnecessary disruption to legitimate import trade. Anjum Nisar warned that implementing the current directives without consultation with stakeholders could disrupt the supply of a wide range of imported products, increase the cost of doing business, and create unnecessary market difficulties. He appealed to the government and the FBR to engage all relevant stakeholders and introduce a practical and workable mechanism that achieves the government’s revenue objectives without adversely affecting legitimate import businesses.
