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Dickson Mangena, Business Reporter
SMALL retailers in Bulawayo have said Government must intervene to ensure there is a level playing field in the sector as they were being pushed out of business by bigger wholesale chains who have encroached into retail business.
In the past wholesale companies used to solely supply retail companies with bulk goods but of late the companies have also encroached into retail business.
The retailers now complain that this was not fair especially on pricing as the wholesalers were now offering low prices to customers pushing them out of business.
Bulawayo Retailers Association secretary Mr Simba Phiri said small retailers wanted Government to regulate pricing and also ensure that companies stick to their mandate.
“The small retailers are not protected. Why can’t Government put in place prices that are fair to all of us, because the difference should be in marketing,’’ he said.
Mr Phiri said in the past, retailers were protected, as only those with retail licences were allowed to buy from wholesalers.
“Why can’t wholesalers only allow retailers to buy from them for the benefit of the small retailers”, Mr Phiri added.
He also added that big retailers’ prices were not fair compared with small retailers since they were way low for them to have been bought from the same wholesalers.
“You wonder where these big retailers are getting the commodities from, because if we were buying them from the same place, our prices would be competitive,” added Phiri.
It has also emerged that because of the competition, instead of buying from wholesalers some major retailers were now buying directly from manufactures. However, Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha said it was the mandate of the business and business bodies like the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) and the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) to organise themselves and sort such “minor” issues.
“Government cannot go along and say you and you group together, all these commerce groups should be able to demarcate themselves on who is a manufacturer, retailer and who is a wholesaler, and they are allowed to do so,” said Minister Bimha.
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