The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) raided an unlicensed Ayurvedic cream manufacturing facility in Matale on April 7, 2026, after an investigation originating from a lead in Mawanella.
Officials found that the plant had no manufacturing license or regulatory approval. It was purchasing bulk creams from third-party manufacturers and repackaging them under its own brand before distributing them to tourist destinations, where they were sold at significantly elevated prices.
The CAA said product samples have been collected for laboratory testing, and further investigations are ongoing. The authority issued a public advisory urging consumers, and tourists in particular, to “carefully check product quality, approvals, and pricing when purchasing such items from tourist areas.”
The raid fits the CAA’s seasonal enforcement push ahead of Sinhala and Tamil New Year on April 13-14, a period in which counterfeiting and hoarding complaints typically spike. In the past week alone, the authority has conducted raids on rice hoarders in Dambulla and penalised traders in Kegalle for overpricing. CAA officers also raided a Kandy restaurant over bottled water pricing this week.
Ayurvedic products are a significant segment of Sri Lanka’s wellness tourism market, with tourist-area retailers often marketing creams, oils and powders as authentic traditional remedies. Industry bodies have long complained that unlicensed repackaging undermines legitimate Ayurvedic manufacturers who comply with licensing and quality-control requirements.
