Some consumers destroy the packaging by cutting after using product.

Fake cosmetics products in genuine packaging inundate markets in the Economic capital, Douala. The fake products that are hardly detected, but for the giveaway prices that is one of the principal determinants have caused serious health hazards ranging from skin rashes, through changing skin colour to the chopping of hair both on the skin and the head. To watch out for fake products by dubious businessmen whose only goal is to get rich at the expense of the population, some consumers have resorted to destroying containers of body lotions, hair products and perfume bottles after using. They break or cut plastic containers into two and as well break breakable packaging after emptying the content.

Destroying the containers, Mary Forsi, who uses expensive lotion for her body said, is the best way to fight against the production of counterfeit products at individual level. If all and sundry follow the example, perpetuators of the act will have no choice than to invest heavily and produced genuine products or go out of market. The packaging got from dustbins and bought from homes and neighbourhoods are thoroughly washed and refilled with law quality products bad enough to cause skin diseases. Last year in Yaounde, a lady died few minutes after she was brought to a District hospital due to the untold pains she felt after retouching her hair with fake hair product. Still in the nation capital, a boy was reported to have died after administering a fake pigment on his hair to change hair colour.

Though poverty pushed some to cut lotion containers in order to scrub and use the last drop of lotion remaining inside, they ignorantly contribute to the fight against the production of counterfeit goods. Some persons CT talked to, blamed the production of such goods on the proliferation of clandestine enterprises and lack of quality control.