FCCPC cautions importers against unsafe substitutes

In an effort to safeguard consumer safety, Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has issued a warning to importers, manufacturers, distributors, and others involved in the bakery and confectionery industry. The warning comes as rising production costs place pressure on businesses, potentially leading to the use of unsafe substitutes and misleading consumers.

Tunji Bello, the Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, addressed stakeholders at an event organized by the South-West Zonal Office of the commission in Lagos, emphasizing the importance of compliance with consumer protection, product safety, quality, and labelling requirements. Bello stressed that bread and other baked products are consumed daily by millions of Nigerians, making food safety and consumer confidence crucial responsibilities for industry operators.

He explained that effective consumer protection encompasses every stage of the production chain, including sourcing ingredients, production, hygiene, handling, packaging, labelling, storage, transportation, and display. Bello also highlighted that the FCCPA prohibits false or incorrect representations and material misleading information in the promotion or marketing of goods and services.