The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has raised the alarm over a growing wave of consumer goods circulating in the market without proper labelling, warning manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to clean up their inventories or face enforcement action.
Acting under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, the Commission said market surveillance and routine inspections have uncovered products carrying misleading claims or missing basic details such as production and expiry dates, batch numbers, manufacturer information, ingredient lists, allergen warnings and country of origin.
The Commission said it is empowered to enforce strict compliance with labelling standards set alongside regulators such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, stressing that deceptive labelling strips consumers of their right to make informed choices and can expose them to real health, safety and financial risks.
It directed all businesses in the supply chain to immediately review their stock and pull any non-compliant goods from shelves, warning that continued distribution of such products would attract regulatory action.
Consumers, for their part, were urged to inspect labels carefully before buying and steer clear of products with missing, altered or illegible information, and to report suspected violations through the Commission’s official complaint channels.
The FCCPC said it would keep tightening market surveillance and enforcement nationwide in partnership with other regulatory bodies to protect consumers.
By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed
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