Consumer protection authorities in Nigeria have found that the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) and Coco Cola Nigeria Limited “intentionally applied a trade description to the Coca-Cola Less Sugar variant (flavour) that could reasonably mislead consumers as to the nature and feel of the drink.”
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), in their report posted on X on Thursday evening, said investigations were launched in 2019 after the companies introduced a new coke drink flavour into the market “without any publicity, or prior information to consumers.”
“This new variant was bottled in a packaging that was nearly identical to the packaging of the Coke Original,” the report stated.
FCCPC says it found the “products tasted significantly different, have different compositions and nutritional value,” but were “packaged in identical bottles, with identical brand design and the same National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration numbers.”
The Commission said it immediately “commenced an investigation into the misleading labelling and branding practices of Coca-Cola Nigeria and NBC.”
NBC was also found to be “producing and distributing the two variants of Limca Lime-Lemon flavoured drink in the same packaging and brand design, and using the same NAFDAC registration number for both products.”
FCCPC adds that the company “impliedly and falsely communicated to the consumer that both products are the same and thus misled and deceived consumers.”
Nigerian Bottling Company and Coco Cola Nigeria Limited have not commented on the report.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is the highest federal competition regulator in Nigeria.
The FCCPC operates within the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and is responsible for protecting market competition and promoting consumer protection.
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