FCCPC seals five Kano textile warehouses over customers exploitation

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has sealed five textile warehouses in Kano State for allegedly engaging in deceptive trade practices.

The commission said the affected distributors were found selling underweight and shortened fabric materials to unsuspecting consumers in breach of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.

In a statement signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, on Wednesday, the FCCPC said the enforcement followed weeks of surveillance around Kano markets, which revealed that “retailers were selling fabric materials significantly below the standard length indicated while charging consumers full price.”

The operation, led by the commission’s Director of Surveillance and Investigation, Mrs Boladale Adeyinka, targeted warehouses located at Gandun Abada Layout, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Bua Rice Mills Street, Ajasa Inuwa Wada Road, and Gandun Albasa New Layout in Kano.

Textile products implicated in the sharp practices include LGR, U&Me, Nana Tex, V Levintus, Mama Africa, Hightex, UE, S-U Velt, and Jisiki brands.

Quoting sections of the law, the commission reminded traders that Section 123(1) of the FCCPA, “prohibits false or misleading representation of goods, including in respect of quantity or price, while Section 125(1) forbids deceptive claims to consumers.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, described the practice as exploitative and detrimental to fair competition.

He said, “By undermining honest traders and businesses that comply with lawful standards, this nefarious practice of selling underweight products can drive legitimate retailers out of the market, thereby reducing consumer choice and entrenching anti-competitive behaviour.”

Bello reaffirmed the commission’s zero tolerance for unethical business conduct and warned that the FCCPC would continue to deploy lawful means to deter such exploitation in markets across Nigeria.

He commended the diligence of the enforcement team and thanked security agencies for their cooperation during the operation.

culled from punch