Trivandrum: Into the fourth week of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival, several of the Scratch n Win coupons distributed by GKSF event management agencies in the participating shops have been found to have insufficient uniformity of ink colour and hues on the coupon areas to be scratched. The insufficiency of ink makes the prize offered on the coupon visible to customers without even scratching it.

The GKSF authorities have announced that customers should not accept such invalid coupons if they are in doubt and have also issued instructions to the participating shops not to give away such coupons. The authorities in a statement issued have also said that strict orders have been issued to the event management agencies to replace the damaged coupons with valid ones.

The GKSF has printed approximately 70 lakhs coupons to be distributed among the shoppers. Each coupon features two scratch areas, a bar code and coupon number thus meeting all technical standards of Sratch n Win Coupons. Some of the coupons that are found to be defective from printing errors will be replaced with new valid coupons. The organizers of the festival have also said that the false news and rumours are being spread on the basis of only a few defective coupons against such a large number that has been printed for the customers.

The GKSF media partners have jointly issued a statement to the public requesting them not to be taken in by falsified rumours about GKSF that have recently been in the news and spreading fast across the State.

GKSF authorities have also announced that the entire coupon book will be removed even if one coupon is found to have non-uniformity in the ink covering the scratch areas. The shops will be provided with new coupon books instead of the faulty ones. The public is requested not to fall for such gimmicks and falsified information publicized by groups with selfish interests who are blowing the issue out of proportion.