The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has directed all manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to immediately remove from shelves any consumer goods that do not meet mandatory labelling requirements.
In a public advisory issued on Wednesday, the Commission said its recent market surveillance and routine inspections across the country revealed a worrying rise in products with misleading information or missing critical details. Inspectors found goods without production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer addresses, ingredient lists, allergen warnings and country of origin. Some products also carried false or deceptive claims.
The FCCPC said the situation poses serious risks to consumer health, safety and finances, because shoppers are denied the information they need to make informed choices. The Commission stressed that such practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, which mandates strict adherence to labelling standards set by regulators including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and NAFDAC.
To address this, the Commission has ordered businesses to urgently review their inventories and withdraw all non-compliant products without delay. It warned that any company found to be continuing the sale of such goods will face appropriate regulatory enforcement.
At the same time, the FCCPC is urging consumers to be more vigilant. Shoppers are advised to carefully examine product labels before purchase and to avoid items with missing, illegible, altered or poor-quality labels, as well as those making exaggerated claims. The Commission said suspected cases of non-compliance should be reported promptly through its official complaint channels.
Going forward, the FCCPC said it will intensify nationwide market monitoring and work closely with SON, NAFDAC and other relevant agencies to ensure compliance and strengthen consumer protection.
“Consumer protection starts with information,” the Commission stated. “Every product must tell the truth on its label.”
