GOVERNMENT yesterday launched a crackdown against shops and supermarkets selling counterfeit, expired and smuggled goods that have flooded the market in the capital, Harare, and other cities.
There is a booming market for the smuggled goods, including alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages, which are often sold at below market prices at shops and on street pavements.
Local manufacturers have been complaining of unfair competition posed by the smuggling of food products and other goods into the country.
NewsDay yesterday observed the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), a regulatory authority that is mandated with the regulation of the production, marketing and processing of agricultural products, confiscating smuggled goods from shops.
Senior agricultural economist Simbarashe Masanga said the smuggled goods were exposing consumers to health risks as they are not tested and certified by the respective bodies.
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“So they know that these products require permits, but they are actually doing the delivery. So that’s why we are seizing this flour from Spar Five Avenue,” Masanga told NewsDay.
“The permit requirements are just a simple registration with AMA. Then you apply for a plant import permit from Plant Quarantine Services Institute.
“Then we also issue a control of goods import permit straight from the Ministry of Agricultureand then you are good to go. And if the quantities are not even limited, you can import as much as you want.”
Masanga said the smuggling of goods was choking the already struggling local industry which has been calling for protectionist policies.
Last month, the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) issued a stern warning against the selling of counterfeit, underweight and smuggled products.
The CPC is a regulatory body charged with protecting consumers from unjust or otherwise improper trade practices, as well as deceptive, misleading, unfair or fraudulent conduct.
Masanga said some products were being smuggled into the country not because there is a shortage, but that AMA was not authorising their importation as the same goods were locally produced and available.
“As you even witnessed, there are a lot of local brands that are also available that can compete easily with these smuggled products. But due to the illegal nature of importing this product, this will pose a negative competition on our local products,” he said.
A Spar outlet situated at Five Avenue Shopping Centre in Harare is one of the shops which were found selling “smuggled”goods.
Masanga said shops and supermarkets found selling smuggled goods face a heavy fine.
“So, in order to bring sanity into the agricultural marketing space, we have to do these things once in a while,” he said.
“We are going to go around all shops doing the same exercise. We will write a seizure note that we have seized so many quantities of such a product and then issue a fine . . .
“The fine has to be punitive so that these companies and individuals will try by all means to abide by the law.”
In September, 3 500 businesses were prosecuted by the CPC for selling underweight and expired products, improper packaging and labelling of goods, posing a health hazard to consumers.
