FCCPC says indiscriminate hike in sachet water price unacceptable, unfair

Agency

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has described the increase in the price of sachet water as unacceptable and unfair.

The acting Executive Vice-Chairman, FCCPC, Dr Adamu Abdullahi, stated this at an event to commemorate the 2024 World Consumer Rights Day in Abuja on Friday, with the theme, ‘Fair and Responsible Al for Consumers.’

He noted that the increase in the price of sachet water by various associations is unacceptable to the consumers.

The Association of Table Waters Producers of Nigeria had announced that sachet water popularly called pure water could be sold for N100 each, citing high production material costs.

Members of the association lamented that they face challenges such as the high cost of diesel, lack of power as well as high cost of production, emphasising that the price of water sales reflects the situation of the country.

Abdullahi, however, said there was no reason for the increase in the price of sachet water because most of the producers already had their machines.

”Yes, power, fuel, and price of nylon had increased, but that cannot explain the cause for the astronomical rise in price.

”What we have discovered is that most products now have associations, even the sachet water producers.

”When you have your eggs that you brought from your farm to sell at Wuse market, the association of egg sellers will tell you that you have to sell to them at cheaper rates, while they resell to consumers at higher prices.

”This has now resulted in the emergence of `cartels’ and cartels, anywhere in the world, are not acceptable,” he stated.

The acting FCCPC boss added, ”Our Act is against price fixing and it is not acceptable to us. We will find out about these cartels and do something about their activities.

”The Consumers International joined the efforts that gave us the inkling of how prices have rolled in Nigeria in the last three months and it is so surprising and unacceptable.

”It is simply the issue of cartels and we have to break in, find out what is going on and dissolve such cartels.”

He, however, added that it’s the consumers who will “lodge the complaint to us before we go and find out.”

The acting executive vice-chairman said although the commission was not a price control agency, it was deeply committed to addressing the rapid rise in food prices.

”The surge in food prices can be attributed to various factors, including market cartels, price fixing, hoarding and gouging or lack of transparency in pricing.

”FCCPC is actively engaged in combating these challenges to ensure fair pricing and protect consumers’ interests,” he said.

On consumers’ extortion and deceptive pricing that led to the sealing of the headquarters of a popular supermarket in Abuja recently by the commission, he said the supermarket had complied with 90 per cent of its guidelines, and assured that

NAN