From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC has sealed over ten warehouses, mostly containing fabric materials, over what it described as infractions in Kano state.
Speaking after the raids, Boladale Adeyinka, Director of Surveillance and Investigations of the FCCPC in Kano on Thursday said the enforcement exercise carried out at the targeted locations was in response to verified intelligence about the activities of the owners.
According to Mrs Adeyinka, the commission had acted on verified information that the retailers engaged in the deceptive sale of underweight, shortened fabric materials to unsuspecting consumers.
She explained that information at the commission’s disposal revealed that fabrics bundles of fabrics labeled 10 yards were found to be 9 yards or even less.
“This operation follows weeks of discrete market surveillance and intelligence gathering, which revealed that several retailers were selling fabric materials significantly below the standard length or measurement indicated on the products.
“ They charge consumers the full price of either 6 yards, 10 yards but apparently they are less than that consumers pay full price for undermeasured sizes or lengths,” Mrs Adeyinka disclosed.
She said the conduct violates consumer rights under the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, FCCPA 2018.
“ Under Section 123 (1) of the FCCPA, no retailer, trader or supplier shall, in the course of trade or for the purpose of promoting or marketing any trade or good or product, make any representation to a consumer in a manner that is, one, false, two, misleading, three, erroneous or deceptive in any way, including in respect of the quantity of price at which the goods are supplied.
“Similarly, Section 125 (1) prohibits any undertaking of business or individual or supplier or distributor from engaging in conduct that directly or indirectly implies a false or misleading representation, as in this case, concerning a material fact, like the yardage in any material, to a consumer or a prospective consumer,” she explained.
Mrs Adeyinka said the sealed warehouses, located at different locations, include Nakano, warehouses number 238, 249, 313, 315, 413, 428 at Gndun Albasa Layout, number 38 and 40 Ibrahim Taiwo Road.
Others include warehouse Number 87, Boar Rice Mill Street, Link 1, 2 and 3 Ajasa, Inuwa Wada Road, and number 287 Gandun Albasa New Layout, among other suspected warehouses in the state.
Mrs Adeyinka noted with concern that such practices not only exploit consumers, but also distort the market and threatens fair competition “ by undermining honest traders and businesses that comply with lawful standards.
“ These acts can legitimate retailers out of the market, thereby reducing consumer choice and entrenching anti-competitive behavior,” she noted.
