Staff writer
In a bid to promote public health and safety, Harare city council has intensified a blitz against vendors who sell fake, repackaged or expired groceries in the Central Business District.
Under the blitz targeted products include milk packaged in South African branded containers,rice, sugar, margarine in Buttercup margarine containers and Zimgold packages.
In a statement, Harare city council implored residents to thoroughly check before buying products from vendors.
” Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution when purchasing goods. They should only buy from reputable shops to avoid health complications caused by fake products that have flooded the market.”
Last year, Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) noted that there was an increase of expired products sold in the formal and informal market.
“Consumers must always look out for expired products to ensure their safety. They must look at the labeling on the product and be careful,” she said, adding the sale of expired products was unlawful.
“Counterfeits have a lot to do with the health and safety of consumers so we should not even see them on the market. This also goes for expired products. Some retailers have gone to the extent of erasing expiry dates on products. Selling expired products attracts imprisonment according to the Consumer Protection Act,” said CCZ executive director, Rose Mpofu in a recent interview.