As the world continues with the celebration of the World Consumer Rights Day, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has begun an advocacy for the adoption of a consumer-friendly labeling for beverages and food products in the country.

The Director-General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, who gave this indication in Abuja yesterday, while addressing a press conference as part of the council’s activities for the commemoration of the 2015 World Consumer Rights Day, disclosed that the CPC was clamouring for a change in the current detailed nutritional information put at the back of these products, which, she said, was not comprehensible to consumers.

“The CPC is advocating that manufacturers adopt the consumer friendly ‘traffic light’ nutritional labeling as it is very simple for consumers to read and understand at first glance,” Atoki said, noting that “most consumers lack the skill or time to interpret detailed nutritional information on the back of the package.”

According to her, the theme for the 2015 commemoration is “Consumers’ Right to Healthy Food,” and CPC’s sensitisation is harping on the need for consumers to be conscious of their fat, sugar and salt intake, just as it is also focusing on schools because of children’s penchant for junk food.

The DG noted that the council was using the opportunity of the commemoration to sensitise Nigerian consumers to make informed decision on what they purchase and consume, adding that there was also the need for to check the labeling of these products, as well as for the manufacturers to adopt best practices in line with the Council’s mandate.

She asserted that the sensitisation would also raise consumers’ awareness on the dangers of unhealthy diets, adding that diet related diseases such as cancer; cardiovascular diseases and diabetes were on the increase in most countries, resulting in more than eight million premature deaths.

According to her, poor diet had now become the number one global risk factor for death, noting that “the essence of this campaign is to encourage consumers to buy wisely.”

She added:“Information is power. The mission for this year’s message is to educate and sensitise Consumers by providing salient information on food to help them make informed choices at the point of purchase towards healthy living. Consumers are therefore urged to use information available to them and in exercising their right to choice; buy wisely to live healthily”.