CPA raises concern over proliferation of substandard, unlabelled paints on the market

The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has issued a warning on the widespread distribution of substandard and unlabelled paints in the Ghanaian market, particularly those misleadingly branded as "American Paints."

At a press conference on Wednesday, June 12, 2023, Kofi Owusu Hene, the CEO of the CPA, revealed that a surveillance task force has discovered numerous paint products being imported into Ghana in unlabelled drums, a clear violation of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.

These products he said are then repackaged and falsely labelled as "American Paints" before being sold locally.

”These paints are imported into the country packaged in unlabelled drums, lacking any indication or origin or manufacturer, contrary to GSA and EPA regulations. These unlabelled paints are then re-packaged and labelled as ‘American Paints’, which are sold and distributed into the local market.

“Our investigations confirm that products manufactured in the USA, whether for domestic use or export, should not lack essential labelling, including the manufacturer’s details, batch number, ingredients, expiring date and barcode for traceability. We are informing the public that these so called “American Paints” are fraudulent and are misleading consumers,” he said.

Furthermore, he stated that CPA has identified a dangerous trend of individuals producing paint in unregulated environments such as backyards and homes.

These makeshift operations he noted not only compromise the quality of the paint but also pose significant health risks to the producers and residents of surrounding communities due to the hazardous nature of paint production.

In response to these findings, CPA has called upon regulatory bodies including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ghana Standard Authority to join forces in a crackdown on these illegal paint production activities.

GA/SARA

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