The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has warned bakery and confectionery businesses against cutting costs through unsafe ingredients, poor hygiene or misleading product information.
FCCPC issued the warning at a stakeholder meeting with bakery and confectionery operators in Lagos. Executive Vice-Chairman Tunji Bello said rising production costs don’t justify practices that put consumers at risk.
Bello said bakeries continue to face higher costs for flour, sugar, energy, transport, packaging, equipment and finance. Operators must still maintain product safety and quality despite those pressures, he said.
“When input costs rise, businesses cannot resort to unsafe substitutes, harmful or prohibited additives, poor-quality ingredients, compromised hygiene, manipulated expiry information or other shortcuts that transfer commercial risks to consumers,” he said.
The warning hits small bakeries and confectionery businesses hardest, since many have already struggled to protect margins as production expenses climb.
Bakeries can still cut loaf sizes, change ingredients or adjust recipes as part of normal business decisions. But FCCPC insists businesses must tell consumers accurately what they sell and maintain required safety standards while they do it.
The commission requires businesses to provide accurate information on ingredients, production dates, shelf life, allergens and storage conditions where regulations demand them. FCCPC also warned operators against false claims on packaging, social media and other advertising channels.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act requires businesses to give consumers accurate product information and safe goods. FCCPC’s published consumer-rights guidance also bars misleading representations about goods and services.
Food-safety concerns added urgency to the meeting. Dr Grillo Adebayo of the University of Lagos Department of Food Science told participants that researchers continue to detect potassium bromate in some Nigerian bread samples. Food regulators have banned bakers from using the chemical as a bread improver.
Adebayo cited a review of 47 Nigerian studies across the six geopolitical zones. NAN reported that the review found evidence of potassium bromate in wheat flour and finished bread.
He also cited a study that detected bromate in 14 of 36 bread samples. NAN reported that all 14 products lacked NAFDAC registration.
“Some bakeries falsely label their products ‘bromate-free’ despite containing the chemical,” Adebayo said.
The findings don’t mean every Nigerian bakery uses prohibited additives. They do reinforce the regulator’s concern about businesses that operate outside registration, traceability and food-safety requirements, though
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FCCPC also wants bakery businesses to improve traceability. The commission expects manufacturers, importers and distributors to maintain information that lets regulators and consumers identify where products come from. It also encouraged operators to keep proper production records and respond quickly to complaints.
Peter Nwebonyi, head of legal at FCCPC’s South-West office, said the commission can conduct unannounced factory inspections. He said FCCPC will also work with agencies such as NAFDAC and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria when necessary.
He said the current sensitisation exercise will precede wider enforcement, which could include factory shutdowns for businesses that fail to comply.For small bakery owners, the warning turns food safety into a business risk as well as a regulatory one.
A bakery that buys cheaper ingredients without checking their safety could face enforcement action, product recalls or reputational damage. Incorrect weight, ingredient or shelf-life information could also expose the business to consumer complaints and regulatory scrutiny.
Bakery SMEs should review their suppliers, ingredients, hygiene procedures, labels and production records before regulators visit them.
Higher costs may force businesses to reconsider prices, product sizes or recipes. FCCPC’s position stays firm: businesses must make those changes transparently, without compromising consumer safety.
