by Yunusa Abubakar
As part of measures to further protect consumers from sharp practices of some supermarkets in the country, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed a major supermarket in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The supermarket was caught selling and hoarding bags of fake foreign rice and engaging in other sharp practices.
The Commission also evacuated thirty-three bags of fake Stallion and Caprice from one of the branches of the same supermarket in Wuse II, Abuja.
Speaking during the raid of the supermarket today in Abuja, the Acting Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, stated that the company producing the said rice had stopped production since August 2022. Dr. Abdullahi, who expressed concern over the unwholesome practices by the supermarket, explained that necessary sanctions would be meted against the supermarket after conclusion of investigation.
He said: “The raid is in continuation of our efforts to ensure that prices in the markets reflect what is being displayed because these days we’ve found out that there’s a lot of pretence in what’s happening in some major supermarkets around the major cities in the country,” he stressed.
According to him, the Commission has also concluded arrangements to raid some open major markets in the country beginning from the FCT this Friday to checkmate the arbitrary increase in prices of consumables by some traders through their Market Unions and Associations.
“As from this Friday, you’ll see us in some open markets to find out what some Market Associations and Unions are doing because they sit down among themselves and fix prices and this is not acceptable because they are forming a cartel and this is not allowed in our law. We have to do our best to ensure that prices of food items and other commodities come down because we have the support of President Bola Tinubu and that of the Minister of Industries Trade and Investment to do that for both formal and informal markets to comply with the rules of engagement,” the Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC emphasized.
He announced that a Price Tracker would be introduced to put an end to the extortion of Nigerian consumers by major supermarkets in the country.
While reiterating the commitment towards ensuring that consumers have value for their money, Dr. Abdullahi warned manufacturers, producers, and traders against sharp practices to avoid being sanctioned.
The Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC also called for the support of all stakeholders in the fight against fake and substandard products in the country.
In an interview with newsmen after the raid, the General Manager of the Supermarket, Yunusa Yusuf, who took responsibility for the fake foreign rice, promised to expose the suppliers. Mr. Yusuf, however, pledged to henceforth abide by FCCPC regulations on consumer rights to avoid future occurrences.
