Nigeria warns bakeries against unsafe ingredients amid rising costs

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Nigeria has issued a stern warning to importers, manufacturers, and distributors in the bakery and confectionery sector. The commission is cautioning these operators against compromising food safety, utilizing unsafe substitutes, and deceiving consumers, particularly as escalating production costs place significant pressure on their businesses.

Tunji Bello, the Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, delivered this message during a stakeholder engagement in Lagos. He emphasized that the daily consumption of bread and other baked goods by millions of Nigerians makes food safety and consumer confidence paramount responsibilities for all operators. Consumers, he noted, have no direct way of verifying the origin of ingredients, storage conditions, or manufacturing environments, relying entirely on producers for hygiene, appropriate ingredients, accurate product representation, and promised quantities.

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Consumers ordinarily had no way of knowing where ingredients came from, how they were stored or the conditions under which products were manufactured. They rely on producers to maintain proper hygiene, use appropriate ingredients, accurately represent their products and supply the quantity promised.

Bello highlighted that effective consumer protection encompasses the entire production chain, from sourcing ingredients and production processes to handling, packaging, labeling, storage, transportation, and display. He also stressed the importance of transparent information provided to consumers and the actions taken when issues arise. The commission reiterated that the pursuit of profit must never come at the expense of consumer safety.

While acknowledging the challenging economic environment characterized by fluctuating costs of essential inputs like flour, sugar, energy, and transportation, the FCCPC made it clear that these commercial realities do not justify practices that endanger consumers. Operators were specifically warned against resorting to unsafe substitutes, harmful additives, poor-quality ingredients, compromised hygiene, manipulated expiry dates, or other shortcuts that shift commercial risks onto consumers. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 guarantees consumers the right to goods that are suitable for their intended purposes, possess good quality, are free from defects, and comply with regulatory standards.

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food safety cannot be compromised in the pursuit of profit.