Online Reporter
Business Reporter
LOCAL consumption affirmative group Buy Zimbabwe has stepped up its push for data-driven decision-making after signing a research agreement with Topline Research Solutions (TRS) to underpin this year’s data for the ZimBrands Awards with comprehensive consumer insights.
The partnership signals a shift from perception-based assessments towards evidence-backed rankings, as the organisation seeks to better understand how Zimbabweans are choosing between an expanding pool of local and imported products.
Under the agreement, TRS will conduct nationwide research capturing consumer opinions through face-to-face, telephonic and online interviews.
The study will span multiple sectors, including agriculture, food and beverages, mining, clothing, financial services, telecommunications and hospitality.
Buy Zimbabwe chairman Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the initiative reflects a broader strategic shift toward market intelligence in a rapidly evolving economic environment.
“This is a means to have a better understanding of consumer sentiment with regards to locally produced goods and services,” Mr Hwengwere said.
“We made a commitment as Buy Zimbabwe that in an AI age, in a digital age, we need to be data driven, we need to be market driven.”
The research comes at a time when new products are entering the market and reshaping consumer preferences, forcing established brands to defend their positions. It will also explore how pricing, quality and customer service influence purchasing decisions.
Mr Hwengwere emphasised that the organisation wants to move closer to the realities faced by consumers rather than relying on assumptions.
“We want to operate on a principle that Buy Zimbabwe cares for the actual buyer, for the actual consumer, and what that consumer prefers,” he said. “We can not just wing it as Buy Zimbabwe. We have to be informed by the experience of the actual consumer.”
A notable component of the study will examine the growing impact of smuggled and counterfeit goods, which continue to erode revenues for formal businesses. The research will assess how consumers identify genuine products and what factors drive them toward cheaper alternatives.
Mr Hwengwere said this was critical in an environment where price competition often overrides brand loyalty.
“How do Zimbabweans differentiate between a genuine product and a fake product?” he asked. “When they go into a shop, what they can see there is a price, is it quality, is it customer service, and all that.”
TRS chief executive Patson Gasura said the firm would apply rigorous methodologies to ensure credible and actionable findings.
“Our role is to deliver insights that businesses can rely on,” Mr Gasura said. “This research will not only rank brands but also unpack the reasons behind consumer choices, giving companies a clearer view of where they stand and how they can improve.”
The findings are expected to shape this year’s ZimBrands Awards while offering broader insights into Zimbabwe’s competitive landscape. For Buy Zimbabwe, the ultimate goal is to strengthen local brands by aligning them more closely with consumer expectations.
As Mr Hwengwere noted, the initiative is about more than awards. “We are determined to engage reputable professional researchers so that our interventions are grounded in reality,” he said.
