FCCPC Orders Manufacturers, Importers, Retailers To Withdraw Poorly Labelled Goods

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has directed manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to immediately review their inventories and withdraw from sale consumer goods that do not comply with mandatory product labelling requirements.

The Commission, in a public advisory signed by its management on Wednesday said the directive was issued pursuant to Sections 17(p), (w), (x), 114, 116, 123 and 125 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), 2018.

The FCCPC said it had observed “with serious concern” the increasing circulation, distribution and sale of consumer goods that fail to meet prevailing standards and regulations governing product labelling.

According to the Commission, its market surveillance, routine inspections and quality assurance activities uncovered products carrying misleading or deceptive information, as well as goods without essential labelling details.

“These include products without production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer details, ingredient lists, allergen information, country of origin, and other mandatory labelling information,” the Commission said.

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The FCCPC stated that it was empowered by law to promote consumer safety by ensuring compliance with labelling requirements in line with applicable standards established by competent regulatory authorities, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

It warned that “deceptive, incomplete, or misleading product labelling violates consumers’ right to the information required to make informed purchasing decisions” and could expose consumers to significant health, safety and economic risks.

The Commission therefore directed businesses across the supply chain to immediately review their products and remove non-compliant goods from the market.

It warned that businesses that continue to distribute or sell products that fail to meet the applicable labelling requirements “risk appropriate regulatory enforcement action.”

The FCCPC also advised consumers to carefully examine product labels before purchasing goods and avoid products with missing, illegible, altered, misrepresented or poor-quality labels.

Consumers were further advised to be wary of products carrying false claims or other misleading information and to promptly report suspected cases of non-compliance through the Commission’s official complaint channels.

The Commission said it would continue to strengthen nationwide market surveillance and enforcement activities in collaboration with relevant regulatory authorities to ensure compliance and enhance consumer protection.