President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office warned shops that steal from buyers through deceptive business practices.
The government will introduce harsher penalties for retailers engaging in these practices. Some retailers are selling underweight products, use misleading labels, and use illegal measuring instruments. In July, the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) fined 362 retail stores for selling counterfeit, expired, and underweight products between January and June 2024.
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President Mnangagwa’s Office Speaks On Shops Engaging In Deceptive Business Practices
Speaking at the launch of uniforms and the handover of vehicles to the Trade Measures Department, Deputy Chief Secretary for Policy Analysis, Co-ordination, and Development Planning, Willard Manungo, said the government will not tolerate such unethical behaviour.
“Pursuant to the above, adequate measures should be put in place to facilitate quality and quantity control, mostly in the informal sector, which is still lagging behind. Thus, errant behaviour by some unprincipled businessperson cannot go unchallenged and must be stopped before the practice becomes entrenched into our business practices and society.
“Consequently, deterrent penalties should be imposed against businesses facilitating the sale of underweight products, use of misleading labels and illegal measuring instruments.”
How Retailers Are Stealing From Buyers
The Herald found products such as 2kg sugar packs weighing only 1.7kg and 5kg bags of maize meal weighing slightly over 2kg in a well-known retail store in the Harare CBD. Three 2kg rice packets from the same store weighed between 1.69kg and 1.87kg, far below the stated amount.
Manungo said the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has moved to address the issue by equipping and rebranding the Trade Measures Department to enhance its operational capacity. The cars and uniforms, for instance, will increase the department’s visibility and deter potential offenders from engaging in dishonest business practices.
The Consumer Protection Act criminalizes the sale of products with manipulated labels and trade descriptions designed to deceive consumers.
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