FCCPC busts deceptive rice weight claims in Abuja

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has busted a syndicate with deceptive rice weight claims in Garki Modern Market Abuja.

Adamu Abdullahi, the acting Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday after the Commission conducted an operation to protect consumers.

Accordingly, the Commission discovered that there are bags of rice 25kg and 50kg that do not weigh the claimed sizes.

The commission described the action by some rice retailers and sellers as exploitative and deceptive.

“The operation aimed to verify the accuracy of product claims on 25kg and 50kg bags of rice. Our findings revealed discrepancies between the weight claims and the actual content. Such practices violate the FCCPA and exploit consumers through deceptive means.

“Consequently, we have issued summons to the perpetrators. They must appear before the Commission and provide a written undertaking to cease these deceptive practices. A Mutual Supervisory Understanding (MSU) will also be issued to monitor compliance.

“Like every other season, the FCCPC encourages consumers to demand and insist on full value for money as we approach the festive season. We advise verifying the weight of rice packages to align with stated claims and report any inconsistencies through the complaint tab on our website.

“By Section 125 of the FCCPA, businesses must not make false or deceptive representations about material facts to consumers. Section 138 further places liability on manufacturers, importers, distributors, and suppliers for breach of implied obligations by law, including product claims.

“The Commission is committed to safeguarding consumer rights and will continue relentlessly pursuing fairness in the marketplace”, the statement reads.

Recall that Nigeria’s inflation had continued to surge. In February, food inflation increased to 37.92 per cent.

This comes as 50kg and 25kg bags of rice are sold for around N70,000 and N35,000 in some Nigerian markets.