The Lagos State Government has declared zero tolerance for undisclosed changes to consumer products, directing manufacturers, importers, distributors and other businesses operating in the state to immediately disclose any material alterations to their products or face regulatory sanctions.
The directive was issued by the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), Afolabi Solebo, as part of the government’s renewed efforts to strengthen consumer protection, promote transparency and curb deceptive trade practices.
Solebo said businesses must disclose any changes affecting product brands, packaging, labelling, formulation, ingredients, weight, size, quality or other specifications before such products are introduced into the market.
He warned that LASCOPA would intensify market surveillance and enforcement operations to ensure compliance, adding that businesses found guilty of making undisclosed product changes would be sanctioned in accordance with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law and other applicable regulations.
“The right of every consumer to accurate, clear, and sufficient product information is non-negotiable. Manufacturers and businesses must understand that any unannounced alterations capable of misleading or confusing consumers will not be tolerated. This is a binding regulatory directive, and LASCOPA will apply the full force of the law against any defaulting organisation,” Solebo said.
According to him, any modification affecting a product’s identity, formulation, ingredients, composition, quality, quantity, packaging, labelling, brand presentation or any other attribute capable of influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions must be clearly disclosed.
Solebo also called on manufacturers and businesses to adopt a uniform format for displaying essential product information, including Date of Production (DP), Best Before (BB), Expiry Date (ED), Batch Number (BN) and measurements such as grams, kilograms, millilitres and litres.
He said standardising the placement of such information would enable consumers to easily locate and verify key product details before making purchasing decisions.
The LASCOPA boss warned that failure to comply with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025, as amended, constitutes a regulatory breach and would attract appropriate enforcement measures, including administrative penalties and other sanctions prescribed by law.
He stressed that accurate product information was a legal obligation rather than a matter of corporate discretion, noting that product labels, packaging, advertisements and other consumer-facing descriptions must truthfully represent the goods offered for sale.
Solebo urged consumers to remain vigilant by carefully examining product labels and comparing product information before making purchases.
He also encouraged consumers to report suspected cases of misleading labelling or undisclosed product modifications through LASCOPA’s established complaint channels, including its social media platforms and email.
He reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to protecting consumer rights and strengthening confidence in the marketplace, stressing that transparency, accountability and fair trading remain mandatory standards for businesses operating in Lagos State.
