Most Zimbabweans buy from flea markets

More than 64% of Zimbabweans are relying heavily on flea markets for clothing as the country's clothing and textiles industry is yet to recover from years of under investment and distortions to the cotton and clothing value chain.

A survey carried out by the Zimbabwe Advertising and Research Foundation (ZARF) has revealed that most Zimbabweans buy clothes from flea markets and boutiques with only 7 percent of people purchasing their clothes from departmental stores.

Though showing signs of recovery, the textiles and clothing industry is not yet fully capacitated to supply the whole Zimbabwean market, with locally made garments priced higher than imported clothes.

The scenario is the same in the groceries sector where over 70 percent of goods in retail shops are imported save for fresh produce where more than 90% is obtained from local farmers.

The government recently stepped up efforts to revitalise the manufacturing sector through a raft of measures to reduce the cost of doing business

Companies such as ZIMASCO and ZIMALLOYS have returned to full production while David Whitehead and ZISCOSTEEL will soon open, giving hope of increased local supplies to the market.

The measures will reign in the persistent current account deficit as billions of dollars will be saved from imports.