The Federal Government said Sahad Stores was reopened after it agreed to implement transparent pricing practices.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has reopened Sahad Stores, a popular supermarket in the Garki area of Abuja.
The decision comes barely 24 hours after the commission sealed the stores over an allegation of deceptive pricing. The FCCPC accused the supermarket of failing to show transparency in how it fixed product prices.
It stressed that the store was culpable of bait-and-switch pricing by displaying lower prices on shelves while charging higher prices at checkout.
The commission said the practice had been leaving the customers with no option but to pay for items at higher prices than anticipated, describing the act as “violations involving misleading pricing and lack of transparency.”
However, FCCPC, in a statement by its acting Executive Vice Chairman, Adamu Abdullahi, on Saturday, February 17, 2024, disclosed that Sahad Stores had been reopened for operation after its temporary closure.
It said the store was reopened after it agreed to implement transparent pricing practices.
“On February 16, 2024, FCCPC operatives visited Sahad Stores and confirmed through random checks that the deceptive practice did not only continue, but cashiers also charged prices at their discretion, leaving unsuspecting customers vulnerable to unfair pricing.
“Exercising its authority under Section 18(f), the Commission temporarily sealed the premises.
“However, following a mutual understanding and commitment from Sahad Stores to implement transparent pricing practices, the FCCPC reopened the store on February 16, 2024, at about 7 p.m,” the statement partly read.
