The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has declared that all producers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders in the food supply chain business must ensure all consumable food products being produced and sold to consumers are registered with the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administrative Control.
AgroNigeria gathered that the General Manager of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, made this call at the weekend during one of his monitoring visits to some supermarkets and grocery stores around Lagos.
In the same vein, the agency called for the inclusion and display of comprehensive and genuine information about consumable products at strategic places where such information can be easily seen.
According to Solebo, the call became necessary following the growing concerns about the presence and sales of unregistered products, and the lack of product information on most food and consumable products being circulated and sold in supermarkets and grocery stores across the state.
“The proliferation of some unregistered dairy products and their derivatives pose significant risks to public health and safety.
“Supermarkets, restaurants, grocery stores, and other establishments selling products like ice creams, yoghurts and their derivatives, preformed tray foods, baking and bakery products, food-in-containers, dips, and spreads, parfait, chips, crisps, and drinks should exercise due diligence in ensuring their products are registered and contain detailed information such as the NAFDAC number, production and expiry dates, in order not to inadvertently offer unsafe food to unsuspecting consumers,” he submitted.