Bread makers on spot over false product claims

Some bread makers have been hoodwinking consumers with misleading and false product information in a bid to increase sales, a probe by the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has revealed.

While not disclosing the brands engaging in the malpractices, the regulator on Monday ordered all bakers to adhere to the Competition Act and other relevant standards.

CAK said the bakers failed to provide manufacturing and expiry dates on bread wrappers, while others printed them illegibly on the seals.

Further, others falsely claimed the bread contained milk or butter where it did not, while some did not disclose the ingredients of their fortified products.

This comes at a time manufacturers are struggling to sell their product after an increase in the price of wheat flour pushing up production costs since the start of the year amid a decline in bread demand in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

While bread is a staple on almost all breakfast tables in the country, the economic distress has left households grappling with the increased cost of living tied to expensive basic commodities.

“The authority pursuant to its consumer protection mandate has finalised investigations targeting bread manufacturers in Kenya and issued orders against those found not to have adhered to provisions of the Competition Act and other relevant Standards,” CAK director-general Wang’ombe Kariuki said.

CAK has now ordered all bakers to print the date and month of manufacture on the bread wrappers as opposed to the seal and indicate the expiry as “Best Before” instead of “Sell By” date.

Manufacturers are also required to provide the correct net weight in grams, a list of all ingredients used including specifying the vitamins and minerals used in fortification.

“To ensure compliance with the order, the authority hereby requires and orders all bread manufacturers in Kenya to adhere to the above requirements with immediate effect. The authority shall continuously undertake spot-checks to establish compliance with all the directives,” Mr Kariuki added.