The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has warned consumers and producers about the potential health risks associated with exposing plastic-bottled drinks to direct sunlight.

This was the focus of discussions at a stakeholders’ parley organised by LASCOPA on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Lagos.

The event brought together producers, distributors and consumers to address growing concerns over the safety of bottled drinks sold under the sun.

Speaking on the theme, “The Effect of Exposed Plastic Bottled Drinks to Sunlight and Aftermath on Consumers,” with emphasis on producers responsiveness, the Assistant Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mr. Nasiru Abdullahi Argungu, explained why PET bottles used for packaging drinks should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Argungu emphasised that handling bottled water and beverages in Nigeria remains a major challenge due to the country’s hot weather conditions.

He advised consumers to store bottled water and other drinks in plastic containers at room temperature or cooler, away from direct sunlight and far from solvents and chemicals such as petrol, paint thinner, household cleaners and dry-cleaning chemicals.

He listed several health and safety risks linked to sunlight exposure, including the possible formation of carcinogenic substances, especially when sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) are combined.

According to him, other risks include a reduction in product shelf life due to ultraviolet (UV) rays, possible endocrine disruption from chemical leaching, and microbial contamination caused by degradation of the packaging material.

According to him, exposing PET plastic food packaging to sunlight raises serious safety and chemical concerns that affect both the plastic and the contents of the bottle.

He noted that the safety of PET bottles as food packaging materials has been scientifically established only under normal temperature and pressure conditions.

Argungu described PET as a biologically inert material that does not react with food or beverages and is resistant to attack by microorganisms, adding that PET has been approved for food and beverage packaging by global health authorities such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada, the European Food Safety Authority, and NAFDAC. He added that the material has been used worldwide for over 30 years without known adverse effects.

“The best practice is to avoid exposing bottled drinks to sunlight,” he said. “The safety of plastic packaging can only be guaranteed when proper handling and storage conditions are strictly followed. Prevention is always cheaper and wiser than cure.”

Responding to questions on LASCOPA’s impact in protecting consumer rights in Lagos, the General Manager of the agency, Mr Afolabi Solebo, Esq., disclosed that LASCOPA has handled over 11,823 consumer complaints in 2025, resolving 11,008 cases.

He lamented that many consumers suffer in silence, even when their rights are clearly violated. According to him, LASCOPA has recovered millions of naira as refunds from service providers, including electricity distribution companies, banks, airlines, transport operators and electronics dealers.

Solebo revealed that the agency recovered over N156.2 million from Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company and more than N30.1 million from Eko Electricity Distribution Company on behalf of Lagos consumers.

“Every last Wednesday and Thursday of the month, officials of Ikeja Disco and Eko Disco sit with us to resolve complaints. Those who came forward got justice,” he said, urging consumers to always seek redress through the agency when dissatisfied with products or services.

The Director of Consumer Education at LASCOPA, Mrs Folashade Ashaye, explained that the sensitisation programme was organised following findings that direct sunlight exposure poses serious health risks to consumers.

She said that during previous engagements with manufacturers, LASCOPA had requested producers to provide dummy products for display by sellers, instead of placing actual bottled drinks under the sun to attract customers. However, she noted that most producers failed to comply with the agreement.

Ashaye recalled that a similar programme was first held in 2021 after complaints from consumers about bottled drinks changing colour when exposed to sunlight. She said further research confirmed that sunlight damages both plastic bottles and their contents, posing dangers to public health.

“We are not saying people should stop using plastic,” she said. “What we are saying is: don’t put bottled drinks under the sun.”

She explained that the current engagement was aimed at finding out why producers had failed to provide display dummies and to understand the challenges they face, if any.

“The danger of exposing bottled drinks to sunlight is real. It can cause cancer, and cancer kills,” she warned.

Ashaye added that public sensitisation would continue, while LASCOPA would keep engaging manufacturers until positive and lasting changes are achieved in the interest of consumer safety.