By Aldridge Dzvene
Zimbabwe is intensifying its fight against counterfeit goods as authorities raise red flags over the health and safety risks posed by substandard and fake products flooding the market, particularly in urban retail spaces.
A recent operation conducted this Tuesday in downtown Harare exposed a disturbing trail of fake food products, with significant quantities of counterfeit mealie meal—falsely branded as the popular Pearlenta—discovered in various tuck shops. The sting operation, driven by whistle-blower reports, was carried out by the Consumer Protection Commission and the Trade Measures Department under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
“This is the fake Pearlenta which is not even our product,” said Mr Nyasha Mudita, Quality Assurance Supervisor for National Foods Limited. “You can see all the features of the commodity do not tally with our prescribed trade or logo features, meaning something unlawful is happening. Now the next step is to examine the contents and verify what exactly is inside after observing irregular packaging.”
The fake packaging not only infringes on registered trademarks but also opens a worrying debate about the safety of what unsuspecting consumers may be putting on their plates. The crackdown has put a spotlight on the underground networks feeding counterfeit goods into the market—some of which may contain ingredients harmful to human health.
Consumer watchdogs are sounding the alarm on the long-term implications. “The exercise is ongoing, and we are calling on members of the public to be vigilant when doing grocery shopping,” said Mr Tom Muleya from the Research and Public Affairs Department of the Consumer Protection Commission. “Most of these products have fake logos or trademarks, and they are hard to detect unless closely examined.”
The inspections have also revealed a pattern of deliberate misrepresentation by some traders, indicating organized syndicates operating under the radar. “What we have seen today is an act of illicit deals to the detriment of consumers,” said Mr Tawedzerwa Muwani, Regional Inspector of Trade Measures for Harare Metropolitan. “Going forward, we urge both retailers and consumers to be vigilant about the goods they buy or sell to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law.”
The confiscated products have been handed over to the police for further investigations, with authorities vowing to leave no stone unturned in rooting out the culprits behind the fake product rings.
This unfolding campaign marks a firm stance by the government to restore sanity to the market and ensure that consumer rights are not only protected in policy but enforced on the ground. It also signals a broader need for increased civic awareness, stronger trademark protection mechanisms, and tighter border control to curb the importation and distribution of counterfeit goods.
As enforcement ramps up, the crackdown is expected to serve as a deterrent to rogue traders, while reaffirming the state’s commitment to promoting safe and fair trade.
