Zimbabweans warned against expired, counterfeit products

Harare, (New Ziana) -Zimbabweans should be on the lookout for expired and counterfeit products on the market as these are hazardous to health, a Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) official has said.

Zimbabwean shoppers have recently witnessed a proliferation of counterfeit products, mostly imported brands of basic commodities, medicines, and alcoholic beverages.

CCZ chief executive officer Rosemary Mpofu told New Ziana that the market is also flooded with imitations and expired medical products, which consumers should not buy.

She said during the 2023 festive season, the CCZ was inundated with consumers’ reports of counterfeit alcohol on the market.

“In December last year, consumers were complaining about fake alcoholic beverages which were imitations of the big brands. We discovered that some of them were being manufactured in townships and residential homes, yet they were labeled exactly like the original brand.

“Consumers must always look out for expired products to ensure their safety. They must look at the labeling on the product and be careful,” she said, adding the sale of expired products was unlawful.

“Counterfeits have a lot to do with the health and safety of consumers so we should not even see them on the market. This also goes for expired products. Some retailers have gone to the extent of erasing expiry dates on products. Selling expired products attracts imprisonment according to the Consumer Protection Act,” she said.

Mpofu said although the CCZ conducts random laboratory tests on suspicious products, it does not have adequate resources.

“From time to time we need to do random market checks and laboratory tests on products but we do not have enough resources to do that on all suspicious products, but it is something we are working on,” said Mpofu.

New Ziana