Precious Manomano-Herald Reporter
THE Consumer Protection Commission has secured 1 873 successful prosecutions and removed 15 200 counterfeit product units from circulation as it intensifies its crackdown on fake goods and deceptive business practices.
The counterfeit products include sugar sold under the Huletts brand, low-grade rice repackaged and marketed as premium Mahatma rice, underweight mealie-meal packages, fake flour, cooking oil, baked beans and spaghetti.
Counterfeit soft drinks and juices, including products purporting to be Coca-Cola, Minute Maid and Mazoe Orange Crush, have also been intercepted.
The enforcement drive is aimed at protecting consumers from exploitation, safeguarding legitimate businesses and promoting fair trading practices.
Speaking at the CPC 2026 Pre-Strategic Planning Review Workshop in Harare recently, the Commission’s programme manager, Mr Kudakwashe Mudereri, said counterfeit products were causing significant financial losses to the country while undermining legitimate businesses.
“We are having sleepless nights because of these products and the country is losing large amounts of money through counterfeits, thereby affecting the industry,” he said.
Mr Mudereri said the Commission would intensify consumer awareness campaigns and educate businesses on prohibited practices to complement its enforcement activities.
He urged consumers to remain vigilant, identify suspected counterfeit products and report violations to the relevant authorities.
CPC board chairperson Ms Respina Zinyanduko said the changing marketplace required the Commission to strengthen its response to emerging consumer protection threats, particularly those arising from digital transactions and expanding cross-border trade.
She said the growth of e-commerce, digital platforms, artificial intelligence and trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was creating new consumer protection challenges, including deceptive marketing, data privacy breaches, unfair contract terms and misleading environmental claims.
“Market surveillance must keep pace with innovation. Consumer awareness in rural and peri-urban areas must be deepened.
“The informal sector, which serves the majority of our consumers, must be better integrated into our protection framework”.
Ms Zinyanduko said while the Commission had made progress in consumer education across all 10 provinces, enforcement and cooperation with sector regulators, more needed to be done to protect vulnerable consumers, particularly women, young people, persons with disabilities and rural communities.
Source: CPC secures 1 873 convictions in counterfeit goods crackdown – herald
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