BY GODWIN OBI
Some Lagos supermarkets are selling expired groceries and edibles under the guise of ‘promotional offers’, deceiving unsuspecting shoppers. With regulatory bodies like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency turning a blind eye, Frontline Reporters investigates the rising trend of food fraud and life-threatening risks hidden behind discount stickers and flashy promo signs. GODWIN OBI reports
On a Saturday morning, Daniel Olanrewaju set out to make the weekend a memorable one for his children. The plan was just to make a delicious plate of fried yams, served hot with ketchup as a weekend treat for his three young kids. Olanrewaju made a quick dash to a popular supermarket in the Ikeja area of Lagos, picked up a bottle of ketchup from the ‘promo’ shelf, and returned home without a second thought.
Back in the kitchen, the oil sizzled, and the fried yams browned to perfection. Everything was going according to plan.
Unknown to Olanrewaju, the ketchup he had purchased from the supermarket had expired three weeks earlier. As soon as one of his sons tasted the ketchup, he spat it out, complaining of the bad taste.
Olanrewaju thought it was just his son’s way of trying to get out of eating, but little did he know that his other two children would soon fall victim to the expired product.
About an hour after the two other children devoured the ketchup-laden fried yams, one of them started complaining of a stomach ache.
Alarmed, Olanrewaju decided to taste the ketchup himself, and what he discovered was horrifying.
“The taste was horrible. Sour, strange, almost fermented. That was when I checked the label and saw the expiry date. The product had expired more than three weeks before I bought it.
“It took medical intervention to take care of my child, who had eaten a lot of the expired ketchup. I was devastated, and I couldn’t believe that a simple trip to the supermarket could turn into a health crisis,” Olanrewaju recounted in an interview with Frontline Reporters
Olanrewaju further revealed that this was not the first time he had bought expired groceries from a supermarket, only to discover later that they were expired.
“Before, I always thought maybe stores and supermarkets do promo because a product is not selling, but over time, I realised that they are only trying to push out expired and about-to-expire products on their shelves without proper explicit explanation for the customer to know,” he said.
“They will just sell it to you, and it’s only when you are observant or notice certain changes that you will check it and realise the product has expired. I have been a victim more than three times, and with my recent experience, I have vowed never to buy goods displayed on promo again,” he stated.
Expired pringles
For Temitope Ogunsanya, the memory still lingers, not because of any physical reaction but because of the lingering sense of betrayal. It was supposed to be a simple, thoughtful gesture.
His wife had casually mentioned craving something crunchy, and he figured a pack of the ever-popular Pringles would do the trick.
So, on a Tuesday afternoon, he stopped by Jodjo Supermarket, a known retail outlet tucked along the busy stretch of Ijegun Road in Lagos. The store, always bustling with foot traffic and lined with discount signs, was running a “Buy One, Get One 50% Off” promo on snacks. Ogunsanya, like most Lagosians trying to stretch every naira, jumped at the offer.
He recalled, “There were all sorts of items stacked on the promo shelf, including chocolates, biscuits, and soft drinks. I picked two packs of Pringles. Everything looked normal. I didn’t even think of checking the expiration date. Why would I? It is a big supermarket.”
Ogunsanya took the cans home, and he and his wife opened one that night while watching a movie. The taste didn’t seem off, not obviously, and there were no initial side effects.
It wasn’t until the next day, while tossing the empty can into the dustbin, that Ogunsanya noticed that the expiry date was over a month old.
“I froze! I called my wife immediately, and she laughed it off, but I didn’t find it funny. What if it were something more perishable? What if it had affected her or made her sick?” he told Frontline Reporters, shaking his head.
Although he and his wife escaped unscathed, the incident left a bitter aftertaste.
He added, “I used to believe that big supermarkets were more reliable. But now, I look at them with suspicion. The trust is gone.
“Since that day, I don’t just check the expiry date; I double-check it. Sometimes, I even put the item back if I feel the date is too close.”
Pattern of deceit
Stories like that of Olanrewaju and Ogunsanya are becoming disturbingly common. Their experiences suggest that this isn’t just a case of occasional lapses in quality control but part of a systemic manipulation of consumer trust.
Findings by Frontline Reporters reveal a troubling trend that has led to a rise in the sale of expired or near-expiry products, driven by a calculated pattern of retail deceit playing out across supermarkets in Lagos.
Behind the brightly coloured promo tags and carefully worded sales pitches lies a deliberate effort to exploit consumer trust and offload questionable stock.
To uncover the pattern of deceit that is widespread across Lagos supermarkets, our correspondent, posing as a customer, visited several supermarkets in different parts of the metropolis and was shocked to discover expired products on their shelves.
In some cases, the products had expired months ago, while others were mere days away from their expiration dates.
From Ogba to Ishaga, Ijegun to Victoria Island, and down to Lekki, PUNCH Healthwise discovered a growing strategy used by many supermarkets. Products nearing, or already past, their expiration dates are quietly removed from regular shelves and repackaged under labels like ‘promotions’ or ‘flash sales’.
It was observed that prices are slashed, signs scream urgency, and unsuspecting shoppers, thinking they have found a bargain, walk away with products that should never have been sold in the first place.
These deceptive sales tactics rely on psychological tricks like urgency, scarcity, and the illusion of savings. They thrive on the economic reality that many Nigerians, struggling with inflation and rising living costs, often don’t check expiry labels, too focused on stretching their money as far as it will go.
Dangerous trend hidden in plain sight
Beyond the personal testimonies of shoppers who unknowingly bought expired food items disguised as discounted deals, Frontline Reporters launched an undercover investigation to uncover the widespread retail deceit.
Between August 25 and September 4, 2025, our correspondent visited more than eight supermarkets across different local government areas in Lagos State. These included stores in highbrow neighbourhoods like Lekki and middle-income areas such as Ishaga, Ogba, and Abule-Egba.
At Renne Supermarket in Lekki Phase 1, visited on August 25, several items displayed prominently in the promo section were found to be expired or just days away from expiration.
A premium coffee product, Chicco D’Oro, had already expired, while another brand, Bristol Decaf, was only two days from its expiry date at the time of purchase.
Despite their expired or near-expired status, the price slash was dramatic and almost unbelievable. The Chicco D’Oro, once sold for N9,800, was reduced to N500. Similarly, Bristol Decaf, originally priced at N7,000, was also sold for N500.
Other items on the shelf followed the same pattern, with Cadbury Snack Shortcake (140g), initially N7,600, which was reduced to N3,000, while a 500g pack of Jacob Kronug dropped from N15,500 to N9,900. Shoppers browsing the aisles, unaware or perhaps too trusting, reached for these deals without hesitation — never suspecting the risk attached.
On August 29, our correspondent visited Medzie Supermarket in Abule-Egba. There, items like White Dats and Pune Cocoa remained openly displayed on the shelves, despite having expired over two weeks earlier, on August 12 and 13, respectively.
No warnings were placed on the products, and they were not removed from the racks. In fact, they were among the more visibly highlighted “special offers” in the store.
Three days later, on September 3, our correspondent visited Evabest Supermarket in Iju-Ishaga, where the situation was just as troubling. Four items purchased from the store, including tomato ketchup, Dano canned milk, Oral-B toothpaste and Ovaltine, were discovered to have expired. The tomato ketchup had been out of date since April 14, 2025. The Dano and Ovaltine products expired on August 12, while the Oral-B expired in July 2025. Yet all of these were still being sold as part of ongoing promotional deals.
That same day, at So Rite Supermarket in Ishaga, our correspondent purchased a pack of digestive biscuits prominently displayed on the promo shelf. Upon checking, the biscuit was set to expire by September 13, just less than 10 days away. Another item, Ovaltine, also on flash sale, had less than ten days left before its expiration date of September 12. None of these products had any markings to indicate their near-expiry status. There were no disclaimers, no staff warnings, only the discount sticker.
The following day, September 4, Frontline Reporters visited Market Square Supermarket, also in Lekki Phase 1. There, a bottle of Schweppes, previously sold for N515, was now offered at just N150. It was set to expire the very next day, September 5. Another product, a bottle of tomato ketchup, which had been retailing for N3,375 was slashed to N700, and would expire within ten days, by September 13.
The trend continued with a carbonated drink from the brand Rubicon, whose label simply read “September 2025” with no specific expiry date. This lack of detail raises serious concerns, especially considering that many other items on the shelf bore similarly vague expiration markings — stating only the month and year, but omitting the exact day.
Across all these visits, the same pattern repeated itself. Products that were expired or dangerously close to expiration were removed from standard shelves, relabeled as “promo items,” and heavily discounted.
Our correspondent observed that there were no warnings provided. The discount signs were colourful and persuasive, drawing customers in with the illusion of a good deal — when in fact, they were being sold what could very well be expired poison.
Frontline Reporters‘ findings suggest that this is not a series of isolated incidents or oversights but a calculated and coordinated retail tactic that depends on the hope that buyers are either too distracted, too trusting, or too desperate for bargains to check expiration dates.
For many unsuspecting customers, these discounted products appear to be a lucky bargain, especially in today’s harsh economic climate. Unaware that the items are already expired or just days from expiration, they purchase them in bulk, stock them at home, and continue consuming them over the course of weeks or even months. In doing so, they unknowingly put their health, and in some cases, their lives, at serious risk.
A sales representative at one of the popular supermarkets in Lagos, who spoke with Frontline Reporters on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the practice of hiding expired or nearly expired items under the guise of promotional sales is not an isolated act, adding that it is a well-known and routine strategy across many retail outlets in the state.
According to her, the moment a product is close to its expiration date, sometimes just days away, management typically instructs staff to move such items to the promo shelf, rather than discard or clearly label them as near-expiry.
She said, “To be honest, it’s normal in many stores. Once an item is getting close to the expiry date, instead of removing it from circulation, we are told to put it on promo. We reduce the price and make it look like a special offer. Most customers don’t bother checking the date — they just see the discount and rush it.”
She further explained that staff members are often discouraged from pointing out expiry concerns to customers unless specifically asked.
In some cases, she alleged, price stickers are deliberately placed over the expiry dates to obscure them from view.
“It is not every staff member who is comfortable with it, but we don’t really have a choice. If you talk too much, you can lose your job. And some store managers are even worse — they know it’s wrong, but they still encourage it because they don’t want to waste stock,” she added.
Clear violation
Despite NAFDAC’s clear and comprehensive guidelines on how expired and unwholesome products should be handled, none of the supermarkets visited during the Frontline Reporters investigation showed any visible signs of compliance.
According to NAFDAC’s official Guidelines for the Handling and Disposal of Unwholesome Medicines and Regulated Products, food items and other consumables deemed unwholesome, including expired goods, must not be sold, redistributed, or disguised as fit for consumption under any circumstances.
The guidelines document obtained by Frontline Reporters from NAFDAC’s website stated that all establishments dealing in food, medicine, cosmetics, or any regulated product are mandated to set aside a clearly demarcated area for storing expired or unwholesome goods.
“Demarcate an area for storing expired/unwholesome medicines and NAFDAC-regulated products which shall be labelled conspicuously with the words ‘Expired Products’, ‘Not for Sale’, or in red ink,” a part of the guidelines read.
But in every store visited by our correspondent, there were no such designated areas. Expired products were not quarantined, not labelled, and not separated from items meant for sale.
In fact, they were placed on promotional shelves right next to active, non-expired goods, often disguised with aggressive price slashes and attention-grabbing signage.
There were no warning labels, no signs indicating “Near Expiry”, and certainly no restricted zones for expired stock. What should have been flagged for disposal or regulatory verification was instead packaged as a bargain, ready to be picked up by any unsuspecting shopper walking through the aisles.
The Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap C.34, LFN 2004, also leaves no room for interpretation.
Section 1 of the Act criminalises the manufacture, sale, and distribution of counterfeit or fake drugs and unwholesome processed food, declaring such practices punishable by imprisonment without the option of a fine upon conviction.
It further empowers law enforcement and regulatory agencies to seize, confiscate, and prosecute those in possession of expired or harmful consumables being sold for human use.
According to the Act, selling unwholesome products attracts penalties including a fine worth N500,000 or imprisonment of not less than five years.
The actions observed in Lagos supermarkets visited by Frontline Reporters clearly fall within this legal definition.
Legislation lapses
Legal experts argue that even supermarkets claiming ignorance cannot be absolved of liability, noting that the Act holds both individuals and corporate entities accountable, including owners, managers, and staff who facilitate or fail to report such sales.
A consumer protection lawyer based in Lagos, Barr. Tayo Ogunlana, expressed concerns that despite multiple violations across various stores and chains, there is little evidence of widespread crackdowns, penalties, or closures.
He lamented that regulatory bodies appear reactive rather than proactive, stepping in only when complaints become too loud to ignore.
He stressed, “Let’s be clear: any supermarket or store selling expired goods is committing a punishable offence under Nigerian law.
“It doesn’t matter whether someone got sick or not. The very act of offering expired products for sale is grounds for prosecution.
“How many times have you seen any supermarket shut down for selling expired goods?
“You might see small vendors being harassed, but the big stores? They get a slap on the wrist, if anything at all.”
NAFDAC’s silent watch
Despite being statutorily empowered to ensure that all consumable goods in Nigeria meet safety standards both before and after they enter the market, findings by Frontline Reporters show the absence of visible regulatory intervention by NAFDAC, particularly in Lagos supermarkets, where expired and unwholesome food products are being sold openly.
A food policy researcher, Mariam Kuranga, expressed deep concern over the agency’s apparent inaction, describing NAFDAC as “a toothless dog that has failed to effectively police the activities of many big-name retail outlets operating across Nigeria.”
“In reality, NAFDAC seems more invested in raiding sachet water factories in remote towns than tackling the real danger, high-end supermarkets in Lekki and other urban areas that are knowingly selling expired food items. Their silence is fuelling this crime,” she told Frontline Reporters
Kuranga added that expired products are just one part of the problem.
According to her, some of these retail chains are also guilty of stocking unregistered or foreign-imported products without NAFDAC approval.
She added, “Walk into some of these stores, and you will find imported drinks, cereals, and snacks that bear no NAFDAC registration number. Some don’t even carry proper labelling, yet they’re sold daily in full view of the public. Where is NAFDAC? Who is monitoring this?”
On the need for clear demarcation and labelling of near-expiry products, Kuranga said many stores deliberately blur the lines between what is safe for consumption and what is not, misleading consumers, especially those shopping in a hurry or unaware of food safety guidelines.
“It is completely unethical to display a product that will expire in less than two weeks right next to fresh stock, without any warning label,” she said.
She stressed that products approaching expiration must not only be separated but also clearly marked, as stipulated by NAFDAC guidelines.
She maintained, “Anything less than that is fraud. And when someone falls sick or worse, it becomes a public health risk. These supermarkets are playing with lives.”
Kuranga called on NAFDAC to go beyond press releases and workshops and to begin conducting random compliance checks in major retail chains, not just informal markets.
She stressed, “If they can deploy task forces to hunt down fake malaria drugs in the North, then they can certainly inspect the so-called elite supermarkets poisoning Lagos families with expired ketchup and canned milk.”
Lurking danger
Food experts warned that consuming expired food could lead to food poisoning, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever.
While noting that the expiration date is based on scientific testing, determining when the food item is at its safest and freshest, the experts stressed that consuming expired foods is a risk that should not be taken lightly.
A nutritionist/dietitian, Odunayo Sunday, explained that consuming food past expiration dates increases the likelihood of harmful bacteria growth, toxin formation, and nutrient degradation.
She said, “Expiration dates are not arbitrary. They indicate the point beyond which the quality and safety of the product can no longer be guaranteed. Consuming food past this date increases the likelihood of harmful bacteria growth, toxin formation, and nutrient degradation.”
Beyond immediate food poisoning, the food expert added that prolonged consumption of expired products can lead to more severe health consequences, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
According to her, chronic exposure to spoiled or contaminated foods may result in digestive disorders, allergic reactions, and, in some cases, long-term organ damage.
She pointed out that certain foods, like dairy, meat, and seafood, pose higher risks when expired compared to dry goods or canned items, which may sometimes retain quality beyond their printed dates if stored properly.
She urged consumers to always check expiration dates carefully and to avoid being swayed by attractive promotional offers on products that are nearing or past their expiry.
The nutritionist also called on regulatory agencies to intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts in supermarkets and markets across Lagos to curb the sale of expired foods.
A food quality assurance officer, Mr Immanuel Basil, told one of our correspondents that the expiry dates of consumer goods are directly related to their quality.
He added, “Expiry dates are very crucial in the production of Fast Moving Consumer Goods. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the elements of quality consumer goods. It’s also not news that some FMCGs make lots of mistakes with expiry dates.
“This is seen when their products on counters or in distribution begin to deteriorate even before the quoted expiry dates. So, the calculation of expiry dates is very pivotal to quality.
“This is especially true because these goods have or could have several different components that go into the production, blending and can react with each other in one way or the other to give a different outcome than expected.
“The packaging material, storage conditions and handling of the products in transit also play a role in all of these.”
Basil noted that the quality of products would deteriorate before their expiry dates, and consuming such could have serious health implications.
“Expiry dates are very important and flouting them could be injurious to health. I will recommend that consumers be careful with products. Products can go off before the expiry date, so it’s important to be mindful and flag off any cases to the company’s customer care for corrections and retrieval of batches already in distribution.
“The major implications of consuming expired products range from mild to severe stomach upset, allergies, and, in rare cases, death, and a bad experience with these products,” he added.
Not our usual business practice — Rennie Supermarket reacts
A director of Rennie Supermarket, simply identified as Christian, apologised following our correspondent’s discovery of an expired product on the shelves of one of its outlets.
In an exclusive conversation with our correspondent, Christian admitted that the presence of the expired item was a serious breach of standard procedure and assured the public that the supermarket does not intentionally sell expired goods.
“We are not allowed to sell expired products, and there is a clear protocol in place to handle such items. This is not in line with our business practice,” he said.
Christian expressed concern over the lapse and said an internal investigation was already underway to determine how the expired product bypassed the store’s quality control mechanisms.
He added, “If the product is expired, I would need to work with my internal team to find out how it ended up on the shelf. We have been in business for many years, and this is not what we stand for.”
He acknowledged that the supermarket has dedicated staff tasked with identifying and removing expired products and disclosed that the supermarket works closely with government regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with food safety standards.
“We have almost three staff members whose job is to handle expired items alone. So if something went wrong, it is clearly a human error. We’ll work on it,” Christian said.
According to him, the supermarket follows the Nigerian government’s guidelines, which stipulate that items nearing expiration must be clearly marked and sold at a reduced price to encourage quick purchase before they expire.
“No matter what, if a product is about to expire, we should indicate that and reduce the price before it gets to that point. That is the guideline,” he said.
Christian extended an apology on behalf of the supermarket to our correspondent and other patrons who may have had similar experiences.
“We are sorry for your bad experience. It is not our intention to be selling expired products and feeding people unsafe items. That’s not what we do here,” he said.
He promised that the supermarket would improve its internal checks and ensure expiry dates are prominently displayed alongside price reductions in the future.
So Rite Supermarket promises disciplinary action, audit
The management of So Rite Supermarket promised an immediate internal investigation to verify the claims made by our correspondent.
An auditor with the retail chain, Joseph Etim, who spoke with Frontline Reporters, revealed that the supermarket will take disciplinary action where necessary following concerns raised about product shelf-life monitoring at the outlet visited during the investigation.
While reiterating the outlet’s commitment to consumer safety, Etim stressed that the company has “zero tolerance” for expired or near-expiry goods being sold to customers.
According to him, the Managing Director of the company, who is currently out of the country, was informed of the situation and had mandated a full audit of the outlet involved.
“We take the issue of product expiration very seriously as a company. It is against our policy to display or sell expired items,” he stated.
Etim explained that the company operates a dedicated shelf for goods nearing expiry, which are to be clearly marked and disclosed to customers.
He added that the failure to follow these protocols by staff our correspondent met at the outlet constitutes a breach of internal procedure and would be addressed.
“If any staff failed to inform customers or wrongly displayed products, disciplinary measures will be taken. The branch manager will be held accountable for any deviation from company policy,” he said.
While noting that the company awaits further details to support the ongoing investigation, Etim maintained that routine checks by regulatory bodies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency have not uncovered any violations in the past.
“Our outlets are regularly inspected by government agencies, and we’ve always maintained a clean record. This incident, however, is being treated with urgency,” he stated.
The So Rite Supermarket auditor assured its customers of its continued commitment to quality control, compliance with regulations, and consumer health standards.
Others decline comments
Efforts by Frontline Reporters to get reactions from other supermarkets involved proved abortive.
Our correspondent reached out to the outlets using the contact numbers printed on the receipts obtained during the visits. However, the lines were either unreachable or not connecting.
Messages sent via WhatsApp and SMS were not responded to as of the time this report was filed.
We can’t be everywhere – NAFDAC
When contacted, the Resident Media Consultant to NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola, acknowledged the gravity of the situation but stressed the agency’s dependence on public cooperation for swift intervention.
“Like we always tell people, when you see something like this, we have our offices across the country, including Abuja. What we expect from you is to get evidence, probably the expired item, then notify our office.
“You have indirectly done that now, at least by calling me. But the missing leg of it is the physical evidence. We have to get hold of the item and confirm that, yes, it has expired. That is where we now have the authority to confiscate those items and even sanction whoever the promoter of the business is,” Akintola told Frontline Reporters
Akintola insisted that NAFDAC remains active in combating unwholesome and counterfeit products across Nigeria, stating that the agency had, at the beginning of the year, confiscated fake and expired goods worth over a trillion naira.
“That’s part of what we do. It’s our core mandate. We do it every day,” he said.
He, however, admitted that monitoring every retail outlet in a country as vast and populous as Nigeria remains a logistical challenge.
He added, “It is not possible for NAFDAC to know all the shops. You can imagine, just try to guess the number of such stores we have in Lagos alone, let alone across the country.
“So, to help us and help the populace, when you see such things, alert the nearest office to you. Then you wait to see whether we react or not.”
Akintola assured that once a formal complaint is lodged and verified, NAFDAC enforcement teams would act immediately.
He stressed, “The items will be seized and destroyed, and whoever is behind it, the merchant will be arrested. That is what we do, and we do it on a regular basis.”
Safety Commission to probe supermarkets
The Lagos State Safety Commission told Frontline Reporters that it will commence investigations into the sale of expired and nearly expired products in supermarkets across the state.
The Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Adewunmi Okoh, who spoke with our correspondent, said the agency would escalate the issues to the relevant department.
“We have a unit that is in charge of monitoring supermarkets and SPAs. They usually carry out routine checks, and we will task them with looking into this particular matter,” she said.
Okoh assured that the commission would take appropriate action after conducting its investigations, adding that the findings would be shared in due course.
“We appreciate the discovery and the eye-opener. Our team will reach out to the affected stores, and we will get back to you on their findings,” she said.
While acknowledging the urgency of the matter, Okoh noted that operations may be slightly delayed due to the ongoing public holiday, but promised that the investigation would resume the following week.
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