Nigeria’s client safety company speaks on enhance in value of sachet water

The Federal Competitors and Shopper Safety Fee (FCCPC) on Friday described the rise within the value of sachet water within the nation as unacceptable and unfair.

The FCCPC performing Govt Vice-Chairman/Chief Govt Officer, Adamu Abdullahi, disclosed this whereas talking at an occasion to commemorate the 2024 World Shopper Rights Day in Abuja on Friday.

The worth of sachet water has gone up throughout the nation in latest instances. At the moment, a bag of sachet water bought between N200 and N250 now sells as excessive as N500 in Abuja and different elements of the nation.

Some residents of the Enugu metropolis had earlier in February expressed discontent over the shortage and rising price of ingesting water within the state capital regardless of the state authorities’s guarantees.

Talking on Friday, Mr Abdullahi defined that there was no cause for the rise within the value of sachet water within the nation whereas noting that the astronomical enhance within the value of sachet water by varied associations is “unacceptable and unfair” to customers.

“Sure, energy (electrical energy), gasoline, and value of nylon have elevated, however that can’t clarify the reason for the astronomical rise in value,” Mr Abdullahi mentioned.

“What we’ve found is that almost all merchandise now have associations, even the sachet water producers. When you might have your eggs that you just introduced out of your farm to promote at Wuse Market, the affiliation of egg sellers will inform you that you must promote to them at cheaper charges whereas they resell to customers at larger costs,” he added.

He famous that this has now resulted within the emergence of cartels.

“And cartels, anyplace on this planet, should not acceptable. Our act is towards value fixing, and it isn’t acceptable to us. We’ll discover out these cartels and do one thing about their actions. Shoppers worldwide joined the efforts that gave us an inkling of how costs have rolled in Nigeria within the final three months, and it’s so shocking and unacceptable.

“It’s merely the problem of cartels, and we’ve to interrupt in, discover out what’s going on, and dissolve such cartels. However the customers are those who will lodge the criticism with us earlier than we go and discover out.

“As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, allow me to state that FCCPC can be involved with different prevailing points bedevilling customers in Nigeria, notably the quickly rising value of meals, as in most different nations of the world,” he added.

However, Mr Abdullahi mentioned the fee just isn’t a value management company.

“We’re deeply dedicated to addressing the fast rise in meals costs affecting Nigerian customers,” he mentioned.

He additional defined that the surge in meals costs might be attributed to varied elements, together with market cartels, value fixing, hoarding, and gouging or an absence of transparency in pricing.

“A number of weeks in the past, we intensified our surveillance operations. This led to an enforcement motion towards illegal and unfair pricing practices thus sending a transparent message that such behaviours is not going to be tolerated.

“The FCCPC is actively engaged in combating these challenges to make sure honest pricing and shield customers’ pursuits. I guarantee you that regardless of the challenges we face within the market, the FCCPC stays resolute in its dedication to guard Nigerian customers and create the enabling surroundings for companies to compete,” he mentioned.