FCCPC Orders Recall of Products with Misleading Labels in Nigeria

• The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has directed manufacturers to withdraw consumer goods with incomplete or misleading labels from the market.
• The directive is based on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, which empowers the FCCPC to promote consumer safety.
• Consumers are advised to carefully examine product labels before purchase and report suspected cases of non-compliance.

The commission added that such products could expose consumers to health, safety and economic risks.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has issued a public advisory directing manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers to withdraw consumer goods with incomplete or misleading labels from the market. This directive is a response to an increasing trend of non-compliant products being circulated, distributed, and sold in Nigeria. The FCCPC has observed that many products lack essential information such as production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer details, ingredient lists, allergen information, country of origin, and other mandatory labelling requirements. This lack of transparency poses a significant risk to consumers' health, safety, and economic well-being.

The FCCPC's directive is grounded in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, which empowers the commission to promote consumer safety by ensuring compliance with labelling requirements and applicable standards set by regulatory authorities. The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) are among the regulatory bodies that have established standards for product labelling in Nigeria. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers must review their inventories and withdraw non-compliant products from sale to avoid regulatory enforcement action.

The FCCPC's directive has significant implications for businesses operating in Nigeria. Companies that continue to distribute or sell non-compliant products risk facing regulatory enforcement action, which can result in reputational damage, financial losses, and even legal consequences. For consumers, it is essential to carefully examine product labels before purchase and avoid products with missing, illegible, altered, misrepresented, or poor-quality labels. Consumers should also report suspected cases of non-compliance through the FCCPC's official complaint channels.

Lawyers advising clients on product compliance should review their inventory and withdraw non-compliant products from sale, and also advise consumers to carefully examine product labels before purchase.

Source: Original reporting via Punch Newspapers