If a supermarket tells you, “Goods sold cannot be returned,” they might be violating Nigerian law.
My dad, a respected Islamic scholar, recently faced this at a popular supermarket. Here is how we fought for his consumer rights and won, and why you should too when you find yourself in a similar situation.
While shopping for Eid al-Adha at a Jendol Superstores branch, he inadvertently picked up a carton of Desperado, completely unaware it was alcoholic.
When he got outside, one of the persons with him noticed. He immediately sent his companion back inside with the intact carton and receipt to exchange it for soft drinks of equal value.
To their surprise, the manager flatly refused, citing the rigid store policy: “Goods sold are non-returnable.”
He called me and I asked them to take the carton of desperado and leave the store. Instead of causing a scene, they left the premises without further ado.
Upon getting home, I looked at the receipt and I told my dad that I will escalate the matter officially to their corporate management and that the matter would be resolved.
I went on the Jendol website, saw their customer complaints section and wrote a formal complaint on behalf of my dad. In the complaints, I emphasized how the manager’s refusal caused my dad immense embarrassment, as bystanders even suggested that he resell the beer to get his money back which is an act forbidden in his faith. I added that taking the beer from their store to his house was a massive religious and reputational risk as he is a devout Muslim and more importantly, a recognized and reputable Islamic Scholar.
It was not up to two hours when a member of Jendol’s Corporate management called my dad on phone as I had to add his contact in the complaints section. He stepped in, apologized profusely, and asked my dad to return the product. My dad was so surprised and he just said while smiling“Eyin lawyer yii sha” meaning - “you these lawyers”. Just yesterday, my dad informed me that he successfully returned the carton and took a bag of Semovita instead.
It was such a win for customer service, but more importantly, a win for consumer rights.
So if you are seeing this, never let "store policies" intimidate you into forfeiting your rights. Under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) Act of Nigeria, consumers have a legal right to return goods under specific conditions.
No internal corporate policy overrides the laws of the land. If a business policy contradicts existing consumer protection laws, it is void ab initio (void from the beginning).
Know your rights, document your evidence, escalate professionally, and never back down! 🇳🇬⚖️