Smuggled, counterfeit goods: A theft of national resources

Ms Charity Sithole from Mkoba 6 suburb in Gweru had been unknowingly buying substandard, underweight household groceries from her favourite tuck shop in the city centre. It wasn’t until the Government’s ongoing crackdown on such shops that she discovered the truth.

“For over two years, I had been opting for tuck shops over supermarkets, unaware that I was being sold inferior and underweight products,” she said.

“You can’t carry a scale around, so I had no idea I was being shortchanged, but I’m grateful that the Government’s operation has opened my eyes.”

Ms Sithole is among thousands of Zimbabweans who had turned to tuck shops for groceries, mostly imported goods, rather than purchasing from approved local stores.

Counterfeit, substandard, and underweight goods have become the norm in many tuck shops across the country.

These goods are smuggled and illegal products that fail to meet required standards but have become more popular than locally-made, up-to-standard products.

Of late, there has been a sudden proliferation of counterfeit and substandard products, expired goods, and underweight products flooding the market.
Many of these products pose serious health risks.

A recent market surveillance by the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) found that illegally imported goods, including soft drinks, detergents and baby formula — some containing harmful substances — have flooded the Zimbabwean market, posing a serious threat to public health and the economy.

The investigation laid bare the alarming prevalence of smuggled products, some believed to be laden with toxic additives, pathogens and spoiled ingredients.

Authorities believe these dangerous goods can cause food-borne illnesses, allergic reactions and long-term health complications.

The influx of such goods into the local market is reportedly being driven by porous borders and a high demand for cheaper alternatives.

Unscrupulous traders are repackaging substandard goods in misleading packaging to deceive consumers.
During the market surveillance blitz, the CPC discovered that low-grade rice is being rebranded as premium Mahatma rice, while counterfeited Mazoe Orange Crush juice smuggled from Zambia is widely available.

Similarly, counterfeit Mama’s tomato sauce has been identified and confiscated in significant quantities.
The CPC also discovered that many products sold in these shops are labelled in foreign languages, leaving consumers without crucial safety or usage information.

These practices contravene the country’s consumer protection laws.

The Government recently launched a nationwide crackdown on smuggled goods, seizing over US$2.4 million worth of illicit products.

This effort is part of a larger initiative to combat smuggling and trade in counterfeit goods, which pose a significant threat to public health and the economy.

Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu emphasised the Government’s commitment to protecting consumers and the local manufacturing sector.

To achieve this, authorities have deployed personnel to marketplaces and border points to eliminate smuggled and counterfeit products.

The Government identified areas like Mbare and downtown Harare as hotspots for smuggled goods, where unscrupulous traders often repackage substandard products to deceive consumers.

In an interview, Buy Zimbabwe chief executive officer Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said smuggling of goods into the country is theft of national resources and capabilities.

“Smuggling is choosing to pour all your money on your neighbour’s child welfare while endlessly ill treating your own. The result is that the neighbour will not think you are their mother or father while yours may hate you for life,” he said.

Mr Hwengwere said whatever the reasons that push people to smuggle, the effects are obvious — the

“Zimbabwe we all confess to love will never rise to her potential”.

“Reasons that lead to smuggling have to do with attractiveness of lowly priced foreign goods that include rejects, substandard and in many cases fake products, prohibitive duties to import and corruption. Some of these can and must be attended to,” he said.

Mr Hwengwere said smuggled goods land cheaper for many reasons that include, circumventing costs, fakeness and poor quality.

“If we agree that smuggling is theft, then it should be obvious that there must be penalties on it. Confiscating and even disposing such goods is totally justifiable,” he said.

Buy Zimbabwe, Mr Hwengwere said, has been delighted to notice the emergence of lowly priced products made in Zimbabwe adding that the focus is now to promote these and provide them with markets.

“The perception in Zimbabwe is that all products made locally are expensive. We are happy to say it is not true. We have innovations in this country that compete on price, packaging and quality with many imported goods. The sad part is that most of these products are concentrated in small spaces,” he said.

Mr Hwengwere said the drive now is to give such products national prominence so that they are known by consumers.

“Of course we need to work with all stakeholders to reduce our costs and to adapt to the current socio economic environment. The informal sector is not an enemy; we must learn from it, grow it and make it big,” he said.

Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) acting director general Mr Cosmus Mukoyi said as the national standards body, the issue of smuggled and substandard products on the market is of great concern adding that it however requires many stakeholders to tackle it. “As SAZ, we are working with our local industry to encourage them to use standards and get their products tested and certified so as to meet best practice and safeguard consumers,” he said.

Mr Mukoyi said SAZ is also encouraging consumers to take advantage of certified products on the market that have been tested, verified, and meet best international practice.

He noted that the certified products can be identified by the SAZ mark.

“SAZ also works with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce under Destination Inspection to inspect goods coming into the country which are regulated by SI 35:2024 and we have inspectors stationed across the country at main ports of entry,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana writing on X (formally Twitter) said the sale of smuggled goods undermines Zimbabwe’s efforts to promote local industry and protect its citizens from substandard products.

“The influx of cheap, imported goods can stifle domestic production, leading to job losses and economic stagnation. In a number of cases, they are underweight or smaller than they purport to be, they are substandard, a lot of fakes.

These are the results of investigations by Standards Association of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Meanwhile, nearly 50 percent of groceries seized from tuck shops and vending stalls during the ongoing blitz against counterfeit and smuggled goods in Zimbabwe have been tested to be fake and a potential health hazard, a top official with the country’s industry ministry told parliament.

Giving oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce on Tuesday, chief director for commerce in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Mr Douglas Runyowa said the proliferation of counterfeit products in Zimbabwe has reached alarming levels.