NEW: Buy Zimbabwe laments sub-standard sugar imports

Buy Zimbabwe, a local content advocacy enterprise, has raised alarm over importation of sub-standard sugar brands.

The organisation has said the inferior imports pose a health risk to children, while also providing unfair competition to domestic products.

In a statement on Thursday, Buy Zimbabwe general manager, Mr Alois Burutsa, said such products are unfortified and improperly labelled.

According to Buy Zimbabwe, Ashna Golden Sugar, Sunshine Brown Sugar, Liberty Brown Sugar, Atlanta Brown Sugar and Cosspex Brown Sugar are some of the alleged sub-standard sugar brands that have flooded supermarket shelves and tuckshops.

“Buy Zimbabwe expresses concern over reports that some imported unfortified sugar brands are being sold on the local market in contravention of sections 4 and 5 of Statutory Instrument 120 of 2016, which requires that sugar be fortified with food fortificants that have been approved by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare,” said Mr Burutsa.

“Furthermore, all the above-mentioned brands are also non-compliant in terms of labelling as they also failed the labelling requirements test and for the same reason, should therefore not be allowed to come into Zimbabwe but should be taken off our shelves to protect our innocent, unsuspecting consumers.”

The imports retain an unfair market advantage as they do not incur additional costs that come with fortification.

Buy Zimbabwe has urged the relevant authorities to take the necessary action against the importation of these unfortified sugar brands.