News
Poisoned soda and 'safe' cigarettes: the challenges facing product safety in Kenya
30 Nov 2011
Product safety and the right to be informed are issues
for consumers across the world. CI's Kenya member
Consumer Information Network (CIN) has recently highlighted a
number of shocking cases, including inappropriate use of safety
labels, inaccurate product descriptions, unhealthy child-focused
drinks and the potentially fatal contamination of a popular
soda.
The
battery found in this bottle of Fanta (pictured left and
below) is a shocking example of where poor consumer protection
can lead. It is unclear when or where the bottle was filled, but
the fastened cap, and the fact it was bought from a Nairobi vendor,
confirms this as a horrific danger to consumer safety. The toxins
emitted from the battery appear to have turned the orange drink
yellow, and, if consumed, could lead to a range of severe
conditions, including blindness and even death.
Tackling such contamination in a drinks sector
where bottles are continuously reused is by no means easy. And
Fanta's parent company Coca-Cola cannot be held directly
responsible for this specific case. But, along with better
standards, monitoring at the bottling stage and a crackdown on
counterfeits, the company should be working with authorities and
consumer organisations to educate the public in being vigilant
against such contamination, and what to do if it is accidentally
consumed.
Misleading labels
Other examples exposed by CIN are more straightforward. This
bottle of pineapple squash (pictured right), for instance,
contains no pineapple at all, but something called 'pineapple
emulsion'. Such a misleading label can be remedied by clearer
legislation and effective policing but the authorities.
Marketing to children
Products like this children's drink
(pictured right), while not being misleading, are a direct
risk to children's health. Called 'Toto', which means 'Kid' in
Swahili, the drink is simply water, sugar, and colourings. The
drink's name, packaging and the smiley face embossed in the plastic
make it clear this product is marketed
directly at children - yet this high-sugar drink can
contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes later in
life.
Such drinks are increasingly the target of consumer complaints
in Europe and North America. With the levels of non-communicable
diseases rising quickly in the developing world, this is an issue
for Africa too.
Safety certified cigarettes
Other products are deceitful in more subtle ways,
yet still contravene basic principles of consumer rights. This pack
of cigarettes (pictured right), for instance, carries a
mandatory health warning on the front of the pack, but also the
Kenyan product safety standard seal on the packet's side. While not
necessarily against the letter of the law, this is misleading and
confusing for Kenyan consumers. Cigarettes are not, in any way,
safe; and a certification symbol that suggests that they are should
not be allowed on packaging.
CIN is doing a great job of bringing these issues to light, but
with its limited resources, the organisation can only do so much.
Kenya's new bill of rights, which includes, for the first time, a
specific reference to consumer rights, may offer a more
favourable framework for developing better consumer
protection legislation. But the will of the politicians is
going to be key. Better legislation must accompany these better
intentions for consumer rights if companies are to be held to
account for product safety, information accuracy and responsible
marketing.
Do you or your organisation have
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