The Australian commerce watchdog last week ruled the company had to take its specific migraine, period and back pain products off the shelves because they all contained the same active ingredient.

Following that ruling, Consumer NZ called for the company to follow suit in New Zealand.

The company that makes the products, Reckitt Benckiser, has now reached an agreement with the Commerce Commission – which is also investigating it here – to change the way those products are labelled in New Zealand.

“The Commission is investigating concerns that the current packaging of these specific pain range products is misleading and deceptive,” the watchdog said in a statement.

“A temporary packaging arrangement has been agreed that will see the products being sold with amended labels that will disclose that the products are equally effective for other forms of pain.”

The change comes into effect in March 2016.

The Commission said it was still continuing its investigation into the products and is expected to release its findings early next year.

In a statement Nurofen said the products would still be on shelves, just with different packages.

“These changes will not impact availability and Nurofen specific-pain products,” it said.

AAP