The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission took action on Friday by sealing up Sahad stores due to discrepancies in pricing, which failed to meet consumer standards.

During an investigation at the stores located in Area 11, Abuja, the FCCPC uncovered inconsistencies in prices displayed on shelves versus those recorded in the computer systems, violating Section 115 of the law.

The Acting Executive Vice Chair of FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, emphasized the severity of the situation, stating,“It’s an obnoxious practice, and Section 115 states that any person who contravenes this is liable to a fine of 100 million naira or even more, and the directors of the company themselves are liable upon conviction, and they are to pay 10 million naira each or imprisonment for six months or both,” he explained.

Despite being summoned by the FCCPC to clarify the discrepancies in pricing, Sahad stores’ management failed to appear. The individuals called for questioning, including those from the information technology department and pricing management, sent lawyers in their stead, who were ill-prepared to address the allegations.

Expressing his unwavering commitment to safeguarding consumer rights, Abdullahi emphasized the need for stringent enforcement measures to prevent businesses from exploiting customers.

The Director of Surveillance and Investigation, Boladale Adeyinka, highlighted the findings of inspections conducted at Sahad stores, revealing a lack of transparency in pricing practices. Product brands varied in prices, with cashiers having the discretion to set prices arbitrarily, leading to potential exploitation of consumers.

“Despite all being labelled as “Kwilikwili,” there’s no clear indication of the price for each product. Consequently, the cashier can arbitrarily sell a product worth N700 for N1000, solely deciding the pricing.

“Each branded item should have its own distinct price, and when sold in bulk, they should either be individually priced or grouped with identical items and assigned a uniform price.

“We’ve also noticed identical products from the same brand with different prices. For instance, we encountered underwear priced at N5,000 and N6,000, respectively. If you’re purchasing 10, you’d lose N10,000, which is unfair to consumers,” she explained.