THE Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) has urged companies to quickly implement standardisation in their production processes amid the proliferation of substandard products in the country.
Last month, the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) revealed that there was an influx of counterfeit products and smuggled goods being sold nationally.
The CPC and other government departments recently launched a crackdown against shops and supermarkets that sell counterfeit, expired, and smuggled goods primarily in Harare, and other cities.
Some consumers prefer imported goods largely because they are better priced and of superior quality compared to local products.
SAZ acting director general Cosmus Mukoyi told Standardbusiness that companies must adopt standardised practices in their production to address the prevalence of substandard products in the market.
“With the current trend on the market, generally speaking, we realise that more companies need to embrace standardisation because we have a lot of substandard products that are on the market,”Mukoyi said.
“So, companies must implement standards like the ones that have been rewarded for the 11th edition of National Annual Quality Awards, implementing quality standards and ensuring excellence on the supply of quality goods and services into the market.”
The awards were held by SAZ recently in Harare.
Mukoyi said the shift towards standardisation significantly enhanced the quality of life for individuals as it ensured that citizens have access to products and services that meet established standards and promotes consumer safety and satisfaction.
The SAZ boss said this not only builds trust between consumers and producers, but also encouraged economic growth.
“As it is almost across all industries, from the small, medium and large enterprises, those who are producing goods and services without implementing standardisation, without ensuring that these goods and services meet the requirements that are stipulated by experts who have developed these standards, they spend hours to come up with the standards,” Mukoyi said.
He said companies needed to adhere to established standards like the ones from SAZ.
Mukoyi said many companies that were producing goods and services without adhering to established standards were neglecting important quality and safety measures.
“Experts are investing significant time and effort to create these standards to ensure that products are safe, reliable, and of high quality,” he added.
“This call to action is for businesses to implement these standards diligently, recognising their importance in protecting consumers and enhancing product integrity.
“For purposes of product quality evaluation, the criteria that is used is actually Sadc criteria that we also have in Zimbabwe, and that is the criteria that we use recognising those products and also services that have excelled, which is the Sadc Standard Quality Assurance Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM).”
The Sadc SQAM programme fosters regional integration by standardising quality assurance, accreditation, and metrology practices.
It also promotes economic growth, trade, and consumer protection by developing harmonised standards, providing training, and offering accreditation as well as certification services to Sadc members.
National University of Science and Technology economics lecturer Stevenson Dhlamini said reducing substandard products in the market yielded significant economic benefits as standardising products could see their value rise.
“Additionally, this reduction leads to lower business costs, achieved through fewer insurance claims and subsequently reduced premiums,” Dhlamini said.
“Standardisation also enhances competitiveness, allowing businesses to capture larger market shares and increase profits as it promotes healthy market competition, particularly among small and medium enterprises (SMEs), resulting in improved product quality and an expanded customer base.”
Another economist Chenayimoyo Mutambasere, however, said in most cases SMEs do not prioritise long-term benefits
“Long-term benefits may not be a high priority for SMEs whose immediate challenge is maintaining liquidity, in contrast to the long-term benefits that include enhanced credibility, reliability, which increase market penetration,” Mutambasere said.