CCZ food basket costs less

most significant decline was reported in respect of food items. The council also indicated that the food basket alone now costs US$143,94 representing a 3,32 percent decrease from the previous month.

“The low income urban earner consumer basket which stood at US$561,13 for the month of June has decreased to US$556,47,” said CCZ in a statement.
Prices of mealie meal, beef, white sugar, rice and salt recorded a decrease while flour rose by US0,03 cents and laundry soap by an average of US0,13 cents.
However, the prices of cooking oil, bread, washing powder and fresh milk remained unchanged.

CCZ says local products, however, remain scare on the market with products mainly from South African readily available on local shelves. Low productivity by most local producers has resulted in local products being priced relatively higher than the imported products.
Meanwhile, Government has urged the Attorney-General’s Office to speed up crafting of the Consumer Protection Bill to curb increasing cases of consumer abuse in the country.

Since the introduction of multiple currencies, consumers in the country have been complaining about relentless and unwarranted increases in the prices of goods and services without any logical explanation from service providers and retailers.
Ministry of Industry and Commerce permanent secretary Mrs Abigail Shonhiwa said legislation to protect consumers was overdue.
“We are working closely with the Attorney-General’s Office to push for the speedy enactment of the Consumer Protection Bill,” she said.

Mrs Shonhiwa said the country was failing to curb violation of consumer rights due to lack of a legal framework.
“At the moment, there is little we can do to end malpractices on the market; we need backing of the consumer protection law,” she said.
She said the Bill would criminalise violation of consumer rights.

“The consumer law will bring to book all perpetrators of market abuses as consumers will be able to report to the police cases of market abuse,” she said.
In the past, Zimbabwe has relied upon outdated, fragmented legislation like the Consumer Contract Act and the Small Claims Court to protect consumers. — Business Reporter-New Ziana.