Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe Zimpapers Business Hub
SHOPS that display disclaimers informing customers that there are “No Refunds” on goods purchased are acting illegally and risk prosecution, Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu has said.
Across many retail outlets in Zimbabwe, notices reading “No Refunds”, “Goods Sold Are Not Returnable” or similar wording have become a common feature at tills and on shop walls, often discouraging consumers from seeking redress when they receive defective goods.
The minister said retailers who continue to put up such notices should be reported to authorities, including the police or the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
His remarks come as Government intensifies efforts to strengthen consumer protection following Cabinet’s approval of the Consumer Protection Policy (2026–2030) this week.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Minister Ndlovu said some businesses were misleading consumers by displaying disclaimers that deny them their legal rights.
“It is illegal to put these disclaimers and what is very important is to conscientise our people. But beyond that, we are prosecuting people who are delinquents, who are doing this to consumers,” he said.
“I did highlight in Cabinet that some people do not know that it is illegal to put a disclaimer that there is no refund,” he said.
The minister said the only acceptable exception relates to the health sector, where returning certain products could pose health risks.
“It is only in the health sector that it is acceptable because you cannot buy a drug and then you want to retain it. It cannot be consumed by other people. But overall and ordinarily, it is illegal,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu urged consumers to report offending businesses so authorities can take action.
“And if there are people who are doing that, an informed consumer is advised to notify the authorities, it could be police, it could be ourselves as the ministry so that we can prosecute such businesses,” he said.
On Tuesday, Cabinet considered and approved the Consumer Protection Policy, which was presented by Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Professor Mthuli Ncube in his capacity as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on National Development Planning.
Government said the new policy framework is designed to safeguard consumer rights in an increasingly complex and dynamic marketplace.
The Consumer Protection Policy (2026–2030) seeks to regulate the supply of goods and services, safeguard the rights of consumers and promote fair trading practices across the economy.
The framework also promotes the production and distribution of quality goods and services to meet the needs of an empowered consumer, thereby enhancing Zimbabwe’s domestic and international competitiveness.
Authorities say the framework will strengthen enforcement mechanisms and improve consumer awareness, ensuring that both businesses and consumers operate within a fair and transparent marketplace.
