Plans to outlaw the sale of drinks in plastic bottles that have been exposed to the sun are reportedly in the works, according to the Lagos State Government.
This information was provided in an interview with journalists on Friday in Lagos by the General Manager of the Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), Mr. Afolabi Solebo.
“Plastic bottled drinks exposed to continuous sunlight are dangerous to health and very cancerous. Therefore, it will be part of our public enlightenment between now and the end of the year.
“So that by 2023, we will not only confiscate such drinks but we will prosecute people that are displaying those products under sunlight.
“We also want to have a stakeholders’ meeting with manufacturers of those bottled drinks so as to get alternatives for dummy of the products for distributors to display.
“The essence of displaying those products in the sunlight is to attract consumers to come buy. So if you can put dummies in the sun it has no effect since dummies look like the real thing,” Solebo said.
Consumables that kill slowly should be avoided, he advised.
Additionally, Solebo asked customers to make sure they always receive value for their money on all goods and services provided to them.
According to him, customers have a legal right to file a complaint if they feel they are not receiving value and satisfaction for their money and can do so by seeking redress.
The general manager stated that in addition to their legal rights, consumers also had legal obligations to make informed decisions, carefully consider their purchases, and acquire receipts for each item they made.
“So the consumers do have responsibilities much as they have a right to safety, to be informed, right to clarity and quality of products, the right to choose and the right to be heard.
“Also, they have the right to consumer education and especially the right to seek redress in court or in our office and when we cannot resolve the matter amicably, we resort to litigation,” the LASCOPA chief noted.
Scientists and researchers have identified plastic bottles to be dangerous to health because they contain hormone-disrupting chemicals that can cause cancer, diabetes, ADHD and autism.
