Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited (Coca-Cola) and its franchise bottler, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited have reiterated their dedication to ethical business conduct.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) recently accused Coca-Cola and NBC of significant transparency and consumer communication breaches.
FCCPC, in a statement, said the companies had repeatedly violated the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), particularly concerning misleading trade descriptions and unfair marketing tactics.
The commission said the companies marketed the “Original Taste, Less Sugar” variant as identical to the classic Coca-Cola, despite differences in formulation, noting they risked being fined for alleged breaches of Consumer Rights Law.
However, Coca-Cola management in a statement over the weekend refuted allegations of consumer transparency violation.
The statement reads: “Coca-Cola Nigeria provides clear, accessible nutrition information on our packaging in line with national regulatory requirements and is committed to transparency for consumers.
“Our priority is safeguarding consumer interests and we will continue to work constructively with the government on this matter.
“We strongly believe that the Coca-Cola system in Nigeria has complied with all regulations and look forward to the opportunity to bring this topic to closure.”