SON warns manufacturers, retailers against substandard products harming consumers

*The Standards Organisation of Nigeria cautions manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers against circulation of fake, substandard and unhealthy products to consumers in the economy

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Against the backdrop of far0reaching consequences of consuming fake, substandard products, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has warned manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to desist from circulating such unhealthy products to consumers.

ConsumerConnect reports the SON in the South-South region issued the warning at the weekend, during a joint stakeholders’ awareness walk, held in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State capital, on the negative impact of fake and substandard products on Nigerians.

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The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has tackled fake and substandard products in across the West African country through raids, confiscations, and public destruction of seized goods, such as fake and adulterated consumer products, including tyres, electrical cables, and solar batteries.

The Organisation said such products are deemed dangerous, and are seized from warehouses and markets, with offenders facing prosecution under the SON Act No. 14 of 2015.

Addressing participants after the awareness walk in Port-Harcourt, Mrs. Esther Okon, SON Director for the South-South Region, explained that the walk was in commemoration of this year’s World Standards Day, marked every October 14.

Okon said: “This is actually an international day kept aside to be celebrated for the development of standards, and for regulators, consumers and manufacturers to recognise them and their contribution in standards development.”

The SON chief, who also noted the positive response of manufacturers in the past years, emphasised that industries are complying to regulations in Nigeria.

“Every year there is an increase in the number of companies that are complying with the regulations of the SON.

“And in the last two years, we have seen a high influx of the SMEs that we have actually brought into the fold to lead them in standardisation; they are working with us.”

Speaking at during the exercise also, Jerome Otene Umoru, SON Coordinator for Rivers State Office, said the market regulatory agency had directed that any substandard products should not be accepted in the marketplace across the country, as such cause serious harm to consumers.