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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau

The Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) has warned consumers of expired products that are reportedly being sold by some businesses in Mashonaland Central.

Besides selling expired products, some shops are also tampering with the expiry dates, a development that has worried the CPC.

This emerged during a road show by POTRAZ, CPC and their partners in Bindura aimed at giving the public information on consumer rights.

The CPC also took the opportunity to enforce compliance including fining errand businesses.

In an interview, CPC Education and Awareness Officer Miss Sanelisiwe Sibanda said they would not hesitate to take the businesses to court for
tampering with the expiry date on products.

Some of the expired products on the shelves include flour, rice, drinks and other foodstuffs.

She said they have also noticed with concern an influx of unlicensed food products like polony, agriculture products and imported products
that are not certified.

Disclaimer clauses are also a violation of consumer rights, she said.

“We urge consumers to check the expiry date on items before they make a purchase. We have noticed that businesses in Bindura are displaying on their receipts that they don’t accept returns, refunds and no exchanges,” she said.

“This is in contravention of Section 42 of the Consumer Protection Act. Consumers should not be manipulated to pick items in compensation for change. Change can be converted to other currencies because we use a multi-currency system.

“We are receiving complaints from consumers and we might not be able to deal with all of them today but we have recorded all of them and will attend to them,” she said.

She said an informed and educated consumer knows her/his entitlements and stands up against infringements.

The exercise is running along with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.

POTRAZ Consumer Affairs Manager Mr Phibion Chaibva said they have collaborated with RBZ, CPC, Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Consumer Council of Zimbabwe.

They started the road show on Wednesday starting with Rushinga, Mt Darwin, Dotito and Pachanza.

“Consumers need to be protected, informed and empowered. Consumer issues are cross-cutting, for instance, mobile money payments. For a transaction to sail through, POTRAZ and RBZ come in,” he said.

“Consumers who use digital financial services need knowledge on security issues and where to start when things go wrong. We urge consumers to use licensed service providers.

“Some of the issues arising are unsuccessful transactions and reversals. On data issues, we have engaged service providers to allow consumers to transfer expiring data to another user.”

Mr Chaibva said as they move across Mashonaland Central people in urban and rural settings exhibit the same level of awareness of consumer rights.

A Bindura resident, Mrs Shedia Manyanganya said businesses are increasing prices of basic commodities willy-nilly.

“Basic commodities are now out of reach and today we heard that they are selling us expired products. From today I will check the expiry date on items before I purchase,” she said.

Mr Ndaizivei Usheni was happy that she attended the roadshow and obtained contact details.

She said the prices displayed on shelves are different at the till.

“We were then denied returning the products and I had no idea where to take my complaint to, now I have their contact details,” she said.