The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has warned manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers against the production and sale of consumer goods with incomplete, misleading or deceptive product labels.
The Commission raised the concern following market surveillance, routine inspections and quality assurance activities, which it said had uncovered products carrying misleading information or lacking mandatory details required under applicable standards and regulations.
According to the FCCPC, some of the non-compliant products did not bear essential information such as production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer details, ingredient lists, allergen information and country of origin.
The Commission said proper product labelling was critical to protecting consumers and enabling them to make informed purchasing decisions.
It explained that, under its statutory mandate, it was responsible for promoting consumer safety by ensuring compliance with applicable labelling requirements and standards prescribed by relevant regulatory authorities, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The FCCPC warned that deceptive, incomplete or misleading labelling could violate consumers’ right to adequate information and expose them to health, safety and economic risks.
It therefore directed businesses involved in the manufacture, importation, distribution and retail of consumer goods to immediately review their inventories and withdraw from sale products that fail to meet applicable labelling requirements.
The Commission cautioned that businesses that continue to distribute or sell non-compliant products could face regulatory enforcement action.
Consumers were also advised to examine product labels carefully before making purchases and avoid goods with missing, illegible, altered or poorly produced labels.
The FCCPC further urged consumers to be cautious of products carrying false claims or other information capable of misleading them about the nature, quality, safety or origin of the goods.
It called on members of the public to report suspected cases of non-compliance through the Commission’s official complaint channels.
The Commission said it would continue to intensify nationwide market surveillance and enforcement operations in collaboration with relevant regulatory authorities to improve compliance and strengthen consumer protection.
