Check toothpaste labels, Health Canada says

[Azure]

Health Canada is urging consumers to scrutinize product labels after as many as 5,000 tubes of suspected counterfeit toothpaste were distributed to a chain of discount stores across the country.

Canadian authorities began investigating after learning 100-millilitre toothpaste tubes bearing the Colgate brand name and labelled as being manufactured in South Africa were sold in dollar stores in Halifax and Guelph, Ont., last week.

The packaging - rife with spelling mistakes - is similar to that of toothpaste recalled throughout the United States after a counterfeit Colgate product was found to contain a toxic chemical used in antifreeze.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...Story/National

[BlackArcher101]

Who buys toothpaste at a dollar store?

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Who buys toothpaste at a dollar store?

Value minded consumers.

[worth]

Who makes fake toothpaste?

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by worth

Who makes fake toothpaste?

Probably the same people that make fake clothes, purses, sun glasses and everything else.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Probably the same people that make fake clothes, purses, sun glasses and everything else.

Yeah, but WTF are they thinking?

"Hey, what's that green stuff made outta"?
"Gotta be antifreeze"!
"Sweet, I'll take 1000 gallons....toss it in this big vat with the rest of the chemicals"!

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Probably the same people that make fake clothes, purses, sun glasses and everything else.

Yeah, but they know people are going to buy the $5 Oakleys because the originals cost $150. Why make fake toothpaste that sells for $1 when the original sells for $1.39?

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Yeah, but WTF are they thinking?

"Hey, what's that green stuff made outta"?
"Gotta be antifreeze"!
"Sweet, I'll take 1000 gallons....toss it in this big vat with the rest of the chemicals"!

It boggles my mind too. It's like the people who manufacture kids toys with lead in them. Either they don't care, or don't do enough research.

[CrusaderPi]

Looks like my policy of refusing to buy into the whole 'dental conspiracy' is paying off yet again. No antifreeze for this guy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go blend my steak.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Yeah, but they know people are going to buy the $5 Oakleys because the originals cost $150. Why make fake toothpaste that sells for $1 when the original sells for $1.39?

My guess would be that the anti-freeze material is a filler for the more expensive material not being used. It might cost Colgate 40 cents to make a $1.39 tube of toothpaste, and it might cost these clowns 5 cents. I mean, it made it all the way to stores, so I would assume they at least have the sense to make a worth while profit on it. But that might be giving them too much credit as they don't seem like the smartest businessmen on earth. But why else would they do it? I don't think that they are trying to harm anyone.

Again I don't really know, I am just speculating. But it does seem like you can get knock offs of pretty much anything if your in the right country.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Azure

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...Story/National

I was listening to a talk show yesterday, the same man who found this toothpaste, the first found in Canada. He had actively been on the lookout for it and lo and behold, he found it.

Now this fraud was pretty blatant, no French as well as English, and all kinds of English spelling mistakes. Upon further searching, he found out other alarming information. He actually found some site where they displayed a Colgate label they had made, and that label was completely authentic looking, no spelling errors, nothing, no one would be the wiser.

For those who want to hoodwinkle people, they are either dumb like the one who shipped a product with spelling errors, or they are so clever that you will never be the wiser.

[llama64]

Moral of the story...

Don't buy toothpaste in a dollar store.

Grocery stores and drug stores likely have far safer distribution methods, plus it would be easier to claim a fraudulent product with them.

[Sylvanfan]

Better yet dress like a hobo and go to a dental office and ask for a free toothbrush and tooth paste as it's your only hope of ever maintaining dental hygeine.