LASCOPA urges consumers to remain vigilant
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to protect consumers from counterfeit, expired, adulterated and substandard products, warning that premises found violating consumer protection laws risk being sealed.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), Afolabi Solebo, gave the warning during media appearances on the AskLagos programme aired on Lagos Traffic Radio 96.1 FM and Lagos Television (LTV).
Solebo said the agency had continued to identify supermarkets and retail outlets selling unwholesome products, adding that sustained monitoring and enforcement had helped reduce the practice.
He said enforcement actions would be publicised to raise public awareness, encourage compliance and deter businesses from violating consumer protection regulations.
On price transparency, Solebo urged consumers to report supermarkets and shops that failed to display the prices of goods.
He explained that visible price tags enabled consumers to make informed purchasing decisions and helped prevent discrepancies between displayed prices and amounts charged at checkout.
Addressing the “No Refund, No Return” policy adopted by some businesses, the LASCOPA boss clarified that blanket disclaimers did not automatically override consumers’ rights to seek redress.
He encouraged residents who purchased defective, counterfeit or misrepresented products to lodge complaints with the agency.
Solebo also advised consumers to check product labels, verify registration details, examine expiry dates and retain receipts as evidence in the event of disputes.
For online transactions, he urged residents to verify sellers, confirm payment terms, use secure payment channels and inspect goods before payment where payment on delivery was available.
He urged consumers not to remain silent when their rights were violated but to use the agency’s complaint channels, stressing that effective consumer protection required the collective responsibility of consumers, businesses and regulators.
Solebo reiterated LASCOPA’s commitment to protecting consumers’ interests, promoting fair business practices and ensuring a safe and transparent marketplace.
Residents can report complaints through LASCOPA’s social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram and X via @lasgcopa, by email at lasgcopa@gmail.com, or through its toll-free helpline, 080 0005 2726.
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