Govt acts against expired, underweight food products

Government has taken decisive action to address the proliferation of expired and counterfeit food products in Zimbabwe, particularly in tuckshops across central business districts.

Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora recently appointed a 16-member Food Standards Advisory Board mandated under the Food and Food Standards Act of 1971.

The board, whose tenure began on March 11 this year and extends to March 2027, aims to enforce stringent standards for food purity and labeling accuracy.

Minister Mombeshora emphasized the board's role in collaborating with other government departments to ensure consumer safety and facilitate the export of safe food products for foreign currency earnings.

In a related development, the Industry and Commerce Ministry reported significant regulatory actions in May, where over a thousand businesses faced charges for selling expired and underweight goods.

These infractions, which violate the Consumer Protection Act, resulted in fines for many semi-formal shops following inspections that scrutinized over 5,100 products for compliance with weight and measurement standards.

The ministry issued a total of 11,030 penalties during these inspections, reflecting the government's concerted effort to uphold food safety and protect consumer rights amidst widespread concerns over substandard food products in the market.