More Than 2000 Businesses Prosecuted For Consumer Act Violations In Zimbabwe

By Wallace Mawire

  Over 2000 businesses have been prosecuted for violating the Consumer Protection Act in Zimbabwe, Consumer Protection Commission Chief Executive Officer, Professor  Zororo Muranda told delegates at an event to mark the World Consumer Rights Day on 15 March,2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

  The World Consumer Rights Day is commemorated annually on the 15^th of March globally.This year, Consumers International selected ‘’Fair and responsible Al for consumers’’ as the theme for World Consumer Rights Day 2024.

  Professor Muranda said that information technology, especially artificial intelligence has taken the world by storm.

He said that society must brace for that and take necessary steps to ensure that technology brings more benefits that transform lives for a better future.He highlighted the need to take safeguard measures to ameliorate against the negative impacts of the digital revolution.

  He added that the negative effects have serious implications on consumer safety and digital fairness.

He said that misinformation, privacy violations and discriminatory practices are concerns as well as how Artificial Intelligence (Al) driven platforms can spread false information and perpetuate biases.

 ‘’We must move quickly to address these issues for a fair and responsible Al,’’ Professor Muranda said.

  Professor Muranda urged business leaders to adapt and respond accordingly to the rapidly evolving global landscape where technological advancements and changing market dynamics are posing new challenges.

  He urged business to embrace innovation while also staying mindful of the impact it has on consumers.He said that consumers expect quality, safety and value for their hard earned money.

  Referring to the businesses which have been prosecuted, Professor Muranda said that some of the major violations include and are not limited to selling expired products, selling substandard products, not issuing customers with receipts, selling products which are not properly labelled and charging different prices.

  He said that his commission is committed to addressing any grievances or concerns raised by their customers promptly and effectively.

 He also said that the commission’s customer support teams are always ready to listen, understand and assist, ensuring a positive and satisfactory consumer experience.

  He encouraged the business community to ensure that they respect customer rights by following the provisions of the law.

 ‘’More recognition of consumer rights by business has long term benefits because as consumers become happy there is increased volume of business through repeated orders,’’ he said.

  Professor Muranda has also informed the public that the Consumer Protection Commission, a statutory board established through an Act of Parliament is now fully operational and discharging its mandate of protecting consumers against unfair business practices.

  He urged the public and consumers to report to the commission whenever    they feel their rights have been violated.They have also been urged to assert their rights in the marketplace so that they do not continue to be short changed.

  The commission has also recruited the required inspectors compliance officers and investigators who are now moving around shops checking whether businesses are complying with provisions of the law, according to Professor Muranda.

  The objective of the World Consumer Day was to raise awareness about consumer rights and the importance of consumer protection, as enshrined in the Consumer Protection Act (Chapter 14:44).the Act was promulgated to protect the consumer of goods and services by ensuring a fair, efficient ,sustainable and transparent market place for consumers and business.

  Section 87 of the Consumer Protection Act requires the Consumer Protection Commission to collaborate and   liaise with the country’s regulatory authorities to exchange information on matters of common interest.

 Professor Muranda said that the commission has been engaging the regulatory authorities with a view to sign Memorandum of Cooperation with them.

  He said that the commission believes that consumer protection is a shared responsibility that requires collaboration between consumers, businesses, government agencies and civil society organizations.

 ‘’Through dialogue, networking and knowledge sharing, we seek to create a platform for stakeholders to come together, exchange ideas and identify strategies to address  consumer challenges effectively,’’ he said.