Beware What You Buy: LASCOPA Warns Lagos Consumers Over Altered Product Dates

Kehinde Adeleye

Lagos consumers may be at risk of unknowingly purchasing expired products after the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) raised concerns over the alleged alteration of production and expiry dates on products being sold across markets and retail outlets.

The agency warned that expired and near-expired products could be reintroduced into circulation after their original dates are allegedly erased and replaced with new ones, potentially exposing unsuspecting consumers to health risks.

LASCOPA’s General Manager, Afolabi Solebo, said the agency had also observed the circulation of devices and chemicals reportedly used to manipulate product dates.

According to him, the practice is not only deceptive but also poses a significant threat to consumer safety and violates the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law, 2025, as amended.

“Consumer safety is non-negotiable,” Solebo said, warning that expired products being reintroduced into the market with falsified dates could have serious consequences for consumers.

The agency said its enforcement teams had inspected markets and retail outlets across all Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos, where they identified cases of suspicious date coding, damaged packaging and questionable products.

For consumers, LASCOPA advised residents to pay close attention to product labels before making purchases. Shoppers were specifically urged to look out for smudged, erased or altered expiry dates, damaged packaging and other unusual inconsistencies.

The agency also advised consumers to patronise trusted vendors and retain receipts after purchases to make it easier to report suspicious products and support investigations.

LASCOPA warned traders and manufacturers involved in manipulating product information that they could face seizure of products, closure of business premises and prosecution.

Solebo urged manufacturers to adopt clear and standardised labelling practices for batch numbers and expiry dates, stressing that protecting consumers requires cooperation among regulators, businesses and the public.

Residents who suspect that products have been tampered with can report them to LASCOPA through 08124993895, 09153894878 or lasgcopa@gmail.com, or at the agency’s headquarters in Ikeja.

The agency assured residents that monitoring and enforcement operations would continue across Lagos to ensure that unsafe and improperly labelled products do not reach consumers.