13th December, 2011
The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has drawn the attention of Leaf Tobacco & Commodities (Nig.) Limited to the circulation of a sub-standard cigarette, Peterfield Special Menthol Cigarette, believed to be its product circulating in Nigerian markets, a statement signed by the Deputy Director (Public Relations), CPC, Abiodun Obimuyiwa, has said.
CPC, in a letter to the managing director of the company, alleged that the cigarette currently circulating in the country has failed labelling requirements, making it to be suspect for consumption by consumers.
According to the letter, “Samples of the said cigarette, which supposedly belongs to your company, show among others, that the pack has no best before dates, there is no number on the NIS logo, which indicates non- certification of the product and the address on the pack is not the same as the factory address.â€
The CPC letter stated: “The fact is that the absence of these features constitutes gross violation of the labelling requirements for cigarette products in Nigeriaâ€, adding that “we are by this letter requesting you to explain to the Council within seven (7) days of the date of this letter†why necessary sanctions should not be applied.
The agency directed the company to make its position known within the stipulated period, threatening that a failure would not only lead to immediate nation-wide mopping up of the cigarette, but would also attract some sanctions in line with its enabling law.
The letter stated: “Please note that failure to give satisfactory explanation will attract the removal of the said Perterfield Special Menthol cigarette from the market in line with the Council’s enabling law, without further recourse to you, and may result in sanctions against your companyâ€.
The Council has during its recent surveillance of the Nigerian markets discovered the existence of the cigarette, which it found to have fallen short of the labelling requirements expected of all cigarettes meant for consumption in Nigeria.