By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has warned that nearly 50 percent of groceries seized during a crackdown on counterfeit and smuggled goods in Zimbabwe have been identified as fake and potentially hazardous to health.
Douglas Runyowa, chief director for commerce in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, presented this alarming information during a session with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce yesterday 25 February. He emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to combat the increasing incidence of counterfeit products in the country.
“Most of what we have seen in the informal sector is quite shocking, and in our awareness programmes, we are saying it might be cheap but it’s coming at an expense to your health, because we cannot guarantee what is not there,” Runyowa stated.
“Our health authorities have not certified some of those goods safe and fit for human consumption, hence we really need to intensify our efforts through an all-stakeholder approach.”
Runyowa’s comments follow a recent survey conducted by the ministry in collaboration with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, which found that 50 percent of goods sold in informal retail shops did not meet regulatory standards.
“You can actually see fake Vaseline, fake flour, fake rice, fake toothpaste, and this is an alarming rate,” he added.
The ongoing blitz against counterfeit goods, which commenced last year, has reportedly yielded results.
“You will be aware that over the last quarter, going back to October, there has been intensified blitz against counterfeit goods, against smuggled goods, so much so that even this afternoon we are actually destroying about four tonnes of goods that were actually confiscated during that practice,” Runyowa explained.
Runyowa called for support from parliament to intensify the fight against counterfeiting.
“We want to also join hands with you in this particular fight, which we have really intensified from our side as a ministry,” he added
The rise of informal grocery traders has adversely affected formal retail shops, leading to business losses and the closure or downsizing of several major supermarket chains as consumers increasingly turn to informal shops for their needs.