Tinotenda Hove – Zimbabwean authorities have intensified efforts to root out counterfeit goods from the market following concerns over public health and consumer safety.

During a routine inspection carried out in downtown Harare on Tuesday, several tuck shops were found in possession of fake products, including large quantities of counterfeit mealie meal packages.

The operation was conducted by inspectors from the Consumer Protection Commission and the Trade Measures Department under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, working in coordination with members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. The inspections were prompted by whistle-blowers who alerted authorities to the presence of suspicious goods.

Nyasha Mudita, Quality Assurance Supervisor for National Foods Limited, raised alarm over counterfeit versions of the popular Pearlenta mealie meal. “This is the fake Pearlenta which is not even our product. You can see all the features of the commodity do not tally with our prescribed trade or logo features,” he said. “The next step is to examine the contents after discovering the wrong packaging.”

The Consumer Protection Commission urged the public to remain cautious. “The exercise is on-going, and we are calling on members of the public to be vigilant when doing grocery shopping, as most of these products have fake logos or trademarks,” said Tom Muleya from the commission’s Research and Public Affairs Department.

Regional Inspector of Trade Measures for Harare Metropolitan, Mr Tawedzerwa Muwani, condemned the illicit operations. “What we have seen today is an act of illicit deals to the detriment of the consumers. Going forward, we call on retailers and consumers to be vigilant of the goods they buy or trade so that they are not found as victims or on the wrong side of the law.”

The confiscated fake products have been handed over to the police for further investigations. Authorities have vowed to continue inspections and enforce stricter measures to protect consumers and uphold product standards in the marketplace.