Of ‘hardship’, ‘fairness’ and the consumer is king maxim

OPINION

By Amechi Obiakpu

The maxim: “Consumer is king” is true. It means prioritizing customers as the central focus of all business operations, recognizing they are the source of revenue and survival, and requiring businesses to provide excellent service, listen to feedback, and adapt to needs to ensure loyalty and growth. This again, can be done through a balanced “professional friend” approach for healthier business relationships, as added by modern views.

The proponent of the ‘Consumer is king’ concept sited as part of the key action for businesses to build loyalty through consistent, high-quality customer service and provide clear terms and conditions and user-friendly return policies among others.

In understanding this theory, one can then adduce that a healthy consumer-business relationship is ‘a two-way street’. It requires reciprocal action from both parties.

The Price of Convenience

In the wake of 2025, some stores in Lagos announced their intention to charge a fee for nylon bags, to align with Lagos State’s push to ban single-use plastics starting 2025. Stores like Jendor, Bokku and Spar queued in to this policy. Though implementation faced delays and confusion. In March, reactions from customers reached fever peach over the new charge for plastic bags in different stores, amidst broader efforts to curb plastic pollution in the city.

At the Egbeda outlets of Jendor Supermarket, the notice to charge fee for nylon bags henceforth, was conspicuously placed at the entry point, among other strategic spots. The notice stated that the fee would take effect from April 1 or so, in 2025. To avoid buying the nylon, customers were advised to bring their own bag (BYOB), to allow for ease of carrying their purchased items at the checkout counter.

Like Jendor Supermarket, the decision to charge for plastic bag was also communicated in few other stores.
Though, the move sparked conversation among shoppers, with some noting the fee’s implementation away from free plastic bags. Unfortunately, the part most people are ignoring is the bring your own bag (BYOB). Meaning you necessarily don’t have to purchase from the outlet.

In the modern retail landscape, the “free” shopping bag is becoming a thing of the past. When a merchant informs a customer upfront that they will be charged for a branded nylon (plastic) bag or encourages them to bring their own, it often sparks a debate about fairness. However, when analyzed through the lenses of transparency, economics, and environmental responsibility, this practice is not only fair—it’s logical.

The ‘unfairness’ card

Like the ‘spark’ that was ignited in 2025 when the notice to charge fee for nylon was introduced. Sometime last week the conversation re-emerged in a consumer platform after a member of the group was confronted with the choice to pay for a carrier bag after shopping in a popular retail chain. Moreso, a branded nylon bag at that.

To be candid, the arguement was neither so much as to the cost of the carrier bag nor if it was fair to charge for the bag, but the fact that it was branded.

“So, I will pay for a nylon that advertises your brand anywhere I carry the nylon to?” was the loudest of the question.
While divergent views on the matter flooded the platform – with some attributing the situation as exploitative, others queried the popular “Consumer is king” slogan, pointing that the action of the store was a sharp contrast from the maxim.

My question is, how did that erode the ‘kingship’ of the consumer? When: the consumer to a great extend had been notified of the nylon charge- if this was not so, it could have been a different conversation. Secondly, the consumer is at liberty to bring his or her own bag, decides not to use a carrier bag at all or the extreme case, walk away and swear never to return to that particular store again if he/she was dissatisfied with the service.

In my little knowledge of Economics, Nigeria operates a mixed economy, blending elements of capitalism (market forces) and socialism (government intervention), which is far from a true free market. However the case, there are still many buyers and sellers (producers, suppliers and service providers) which give the consumers the freedom to associate with any service provider.

Even in a monopolistic market where a single seller dominates the entire market for a product with no close substitutes, the consumer still reserves certain rights to walk away from a service that does meet his satisfaction.
Again, it is important to note that, the hallmark of a “fair” transaction is informed consent. By pre-informing the customer, the merchant removes the element of surprise. The consumer is presented with a clear choice: Opt-in and pay a small fee for the convenience of a new bag, or opt-out and avoid the cost by bringing a reusable bag or carrying items by hand.

Reaction

For Akonte Ekine, “the subject of fairness is tied to pre situation information.”
“So the first thing is that the store must have campaigned that position before the situation and also post at the entrance of the store the policy,” Ekine said.

Conclusion

What is appearing to be obvious is that a greater percentage of Nigerians don’t plan for shopping. The once who do, go prepared. Inversely, the once who dont ‘pay more’, which is the opportunity cost of their actions, unfortunately.

“Without a doubt, it is important for consumers to demand for better service and query the dignity that the foundation of modern commerce once promised” as postulated by Godwin Anyebe, a brand Journalist, in the same vein, consumers should be intentional with their association with merchants or service providers, understanding their roles in every ‘contractual agreement’ that binds them together.

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