FCCPC probes viral bread review

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has opened an investigation into a viral bread review that raised questions about product quality, after the woman behind the review was arrested and sued for ₦50 million by the baker whose product she publicly criticised.

The FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, disclosed this on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

Ijagwu said the commission moved swiftly once it became aware of the situation.

“People could exercise their right to that extent, but in the particular case on the bread issue, let me tell you, those kinds of things raised certain red flags with us and as soon as we got wind of it, our surveillance and investigation department and even our legal services were up to ensure that certain things happened,” he said.

The FCCPC confirmed that it intervened to secure Doshima’s release from custody and also engaged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to analyse the bread sample she referenced in her review.

“We facilitated with NAFDAC to take on board the sample that was referenced by that particular consumer for further analysis.

“We also ensured that when we heard the person who was actually the consumer in question was being harassed and taken to the police, we ensured that the consumer got released,” he added.

The FCCPC director stressed that consumers have a legal right to share their experiences and seek redress.

“The law ensures that consumers are provided with information and also guarantees them the right to be heard. If a consumer suffers anything, definitely the consumer has a right to make certain representations.

“We would look at those issues within the confines of our law as a right to information and the right to be heard, and that is even a right to redress by implication because the right to be heard is part of a right to redress,” he said.

Ijagwu assured that the agency would follow the matter through to a conclusion.

“We provided assistance from one point to the other, and we are keeping tabs on that matter. Our operatives are very much on it. We are interested in it, and we even want the termination to be made,” he said.

The controversy stems from a video posted by Love Doshima, in which she claimed that a loaf of bread she purchased remained fresh for over two months, a claim that quickly went viral and triggered public concern about the quality of the product and the preservatives used in its production.

The baker subsequently sued Doshima for ₦50 million and, according to the FCCPC, had her arrested by the police.