By A Correspondent
Zimbabwe’s market is being swamped by counterfeit and substandard products, exposing deep flaws in the government’s efforts to regulate imports and protect consumers. The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has voiced serious concerns over the continued failure of the Consignment-Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) programme, which was meant to safeguard local markets from low-quality goods.
Speaking at a recent stakeholder workshop, CZI officials warned that fake and mispriced imports are slipping through the country’s porous borders despite the presence of the CBCA system, introduced in 2015 to certify imports at their source.
“As the private sector, we supported CBCA to protect our markets,” the CZI said. “But the system is clearly falling short—non-compliant products continue to flood in.”
The CBCA requires pre-shipment inspection of selected goods to ensure they meet Zimbabwean safety and quality standards. While the intention is to protect consumers and encourage fair competition, the business sector says the system is increasingly burdensome—and ineffective.
CZI pointed out that formal businesses are bearing the brunt of compliance, while informal traders sidestep the system entirely. Inspection delays, once expected to last just 3 to 5 days, now stretch up to three weeks, disrupting supply chains and driving up operational costs.
“The CBCA framework unfairly targets formal importers,” CZI said. “Meanwhile, the informal sector continues to thrive, importing uncertified goods that undercut legitimate products.”
The problem is compounded by the unwillingness of some international suppliers, particularly from China and Europe, to cooperate with the certification requirements. This forces Zimbabwean companies to seek alternative suppliers—often at higher cost—worsening the country’s competitiveness and putting pressure on consumer prices.
“Ultimately, the cost of compliance is passed on to the consumer,” CZI added. “The system risks becoming a channel for corruption instead of a tool for quality assurance.”
In response, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce acknowledged the shortcomings and pledged to work with industry players to refine the CBCA system. Officials emphasized that the programme remains central to Zimbabwe’s Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan, and that ongoing reforms—including those introduced through Statutory Instrument 35 of 2024—aim to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
“We’re not here to impose policies, but to listen,” a ministry representative said. “We are committed to continuous review and improvement, with feedback from all stakeholders.”
The ministry also announced plans to pursue ISO 9001 certification, signalling a broader commitment to aligning Zimbabwe’s quality control systems with international best practices.
As fake goods continue to flood the market and cripple legitimate industry, many are questioning whether the CBCA programme is a failed experiment—and whether the Mnangagwa administration has the will or capacity to clean up its broken trade enforcement systems.