Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has charged Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited and the Nigerian Bottling Company with deceptive trade practices and unfair marketing.
The FCCPC alleges that these companies misled consumers with their product labeling, particularly regarding the ‘Original Taste, Less Sugar’ variant of Coca-Cola.
The commission announced these findings in a statement on Thursday, revealing that the companies violated Section 116 of the FCCPC Act and Section 124(1)(a) of the Commission’s Establishment Act.
According to the FCCPC, after an extensive investigation, it was found that Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd and the Nigerian Bottling Company misled the public by presenting the ‘Original Taste, Less Sugar’ variant as identical to the ‘Original Taste’ version in terms of formulation.
The commission indicated that issues related to Abuse of Dominance and potential penalties under the FCCPA and Administrative Penalties Regulation 2020 are under consideration, with penalties to be determined later.
On July 29, 2024, the FCCPC issued its Final Order to Coca-Cola and the Nigerian Bottling Company. The order highlights:
– Misleading trade descriptions, as consumers were led to believe that ‘Original Taste’ and ‘Original Taste, Less Sugar’ are not significantly different.
– Unfair marketing practices, with the packaging of ‘Original Taste, Less Sugar’ being nearly identical to that of ‘Original Taste,’ breaching sections 123(1)(a), (b), and (c) of the FCCPA.
As of the report’s filing, Coca-Cola has not yet responded to the allegations.
