Counterfeiting disincentivises Nigeria’s beauty market —Distributor

A player in the nation’s beauty market and Managing Director, Perfect Trust Cosmetics, Mr Chinedu Okoye, has called on the Federal Government to come up with stricter legislation capable of checking counterfeiting in that market segment.

He noted that the activities of counterfeiters have continued to constitute a major disincentive to the industry.

Okoye, whose company is the major distributor of Dr Teal’s products in Nigeria, made the call in Lagos at the weekend in an interactive session with the media.

He stated that the chat was to intimate the public on efforts being made by the brand and other stakeholders to combat counterfeiting in the market and restore faith in the Nigerian consumer health safety.

According to him, counterfeiting usually thrives in a market where the global and successful brands being taken advantage of do not have a strong presence.

“For instance, there are products not produced by Dr Teal that are being sold in the nation’s market using the brand’s name. For example, over 27 ranges of tablet soaps, bearing the brand’s name are in the market and which are not really from the company,” he stated.

Commending the relevant regulatory agencies, especially the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC), on their efforts at sanitising the space, Okoye, however, expressed the belief that the war against the menace would have a stronger impact with stricter legislations to punish those caught in the act in place.

Also speaking at the event, Strategy Manager, Dr Teal, Vivienne Odofi Daniel, explained that one of the aims of the event was to reiterate the company’s commitment to the nation’s business environment and assure of its readiness to go the whole hog.

Daniel explained that as part of the brand’s efforts, aimed at checking counterfeiting, it is engaging credible outlets like Jumia, so as to ease the pains associated with accessing the company’s products.

Expressing his excitement at the prospects of the market, International Director, PDC Wellness, David Schneider, expressed the company’s commitment to quality as the battle against counterfeiting continues.

He also explained that the brand would also use the opportunity of the event to showcase attention to consumers’ needs through the introduction of additional product ranges.

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