'Half of stock sold in Zimbabwean tuck shops are fake goods'

Nearly 50 percent of groceries seized from tuck shops and vending stalls during Zimbabwe's ongoing crackdown on counterfeit and smuggled goods have been tested and found to be fake and potentially hazardous to public health, a top industry ministry official has revealed.

Speaking before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce on Tuesday, Douglas Runyowa, chief director for commerce in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said the influx of counterfeit products in Zimbabwe has reached alarming levels.

"Most of what we have seen in the informal sector is quite shocking. In our awareness programmes, we are warning people that while some of these products might be cheap, they come at the expense of health because we cannot guarantee their safety," Runyowa said.

He added that some of these goods have not been certified by health authorities and may pose serious risks to consumers.

Runyowa revealed that a recent survey conducted by the ministry in collaboration with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe found that 50 percent of goods sold in informal retail shops did not meet the required health and safety standards.

"I do not want to scare you, but I must inform you that we recently carried out a survey where we purchased products from the shelves and tested them. The results showed that 50 percent of these products did not comply with the required standards. You can find fake Vaseline, fake flour, fake rice, fake toothpaste, and this is an alarming situation," he said.

The government's blitz against counterfeit goods, which began last year, has been yielding results, according to Runyowa.

"You will be aware that over the last quarter, from October onwards, there has been an intensified crackdown on counterfeit and smuggled goods. In fact, this afternoon, we are destroying about four tonnes of confiscated goods to ensure they are removed from circulation because we cannot guarantee their safety," he added.

Runyowa called for parliament's support in tackling the issue, urging lawmakers to work with the ministry to curb the spread of counterfeit goods.

The proliferation of informal grocery traders and the increasing availability of fake products have significantly impacted formal retail shops, with major supermarket chains suffering losses as consumers turn to informal traders for cheaper alternatives. Some retailers have been forced to scale down operations or shut down entirely due to the stiff competition from the informal sector.