Source: Consumer Protection Policy to boost quality, fairness – herald
Michael Tome-Business Reporter
THE Government has taken a significant step towards strengthening consumer confidence and industrial competitiveness following the introduction of the Consumer Protection Policy (CPP) 2026-2030, a move expected to enforce standards and promote fair market practices in the country.
This framework is expected to play a critical role in building trust in locally manufactured goods at a time when the Government is pushing for increased domestic production and import substitution.
The CPP sets out Zimbabwe’s comprehensive framework for safeguarding consumer rights, bringing together previously fragmented sectoral approaches under a single, unified national policy.
Although Zimbabwe enacted the Consumer Protection Act [Chapter 14:44] in March 2019, the new CPP goes further by providing a structured and coordinated framework for the implementation, enforcement and monitoring of consumer rights and business conduct.
The policy seeks to promote fair markets, thus protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive and abusive trade practices, while advancing the availability of quality goods through strengthened product safety measures and mandatory standards across all sectors.
The CPP is anchored in eight strategic pillars designed to transform Zimbabwe’s consumer landscape into a more transparent, fair and efficient marketplace.
The pillars include a strengthened institutional architecture, with plans to enhance the capacity of the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) by 2027, which is expected to improve coordination, oversight and enforcement across sectors that have historically operated in fragmented silos.
Dispute resolution will focus on the introduction of clear, standardised guidelines by 2026, prioritising conciliation and arbitration mechanisms before litigation.
Another pillar will focus on establishing a legal and regulatory framework that will target the harmonisation of sector-specific policies by 2028 and the strengthening of penalties for non-compliance by 2027 to deter unfair trade practices.
Complementing this is a product safety and quality framework that will promote enhanced market surveillance systems by 2027, ensuring stricter compliance and safeguarding public health.
Anti-counterfeiting is another pillar targeted for 2027.
It will focus on tightening enforcement measures and strengthening cross-border cooperation to curb the influx of counterfeit goods into the domestic market.
Through another pillar, consumer education, the Government plans to integrate consumer rights and responsibilities into the national education curriculum by 2029, while ensuring the policy is accessible through translation into all 16 officially recognised local languages by 2028.
At a regional and global level, Zimbabwe will deepen cooperation with bodies such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and other international consumer protection agencies to align standards and share best practices through the regional cooperation pillar.
Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said the policy represents a milestone as it consolidates various consumer protection measures into a single, cohesive strategy aligned with other economic objectives.
“Consumer protection is not only about safeguarding rights; it is about correcting market irregularities, instilling ethical business practices and ensuring that consumers, often the voiceless, can access justice,” he said.
“The policy strengthens our industrialisation agenda by ensuring that economic growth is supported by quality, adherence to standards and fairness.
“As domestic production expands, it is essential that we build and maintain consumer confidence in locally manufactured products.”
Through the promotion of product integrity and enforcement of compliance with established standards, the CPP is expected to compel manufacturers to upgrade production processes, improve quality control systems and align with both regional and international benchmarks. This could have positive spillover effects on exports, particularly within regional trading blocs such as SADC and COMESA, where product standards and consumer protection frameworks are increasingly becoming prerequisites for market access.
Director of Business Practices in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Engineer Macheka Muchumairi said the policy aims to ensure that consumers do not continue to be taken advantage of through information asymmetry, imperfect competition and limited resources.
“Consumers in our market continue to face significant structural challenges, including information asymmetry, imperfect competition and limited resources, which collectively weaken their position in transactions.
“In such an environment, many are unable to make fully informed choices or effectively assert their rights. This vulnerability often exposes them to false advertising, unfair contract terms and a range of market malpractices that undermine confidence and distort fair competition.”
Consumer Council of Zimbabwe executive director Ms Rosemary Mpofu said the move is a step in the right direction, as the country needs stronger consumer protections, transparency, fair and accountable markets to protect consumers.
“It is imperative that we strengthen consumer protection mechanisms and ensure that markets operate in a manner that is both fair and accountable,” she said.
“Addressing these imbalances is critical for safeguarding consumers and promoting a more efficient and trustworthy marketplace that supports sustainable economic growth.”
Economist Mr Tinevimbo Shava said consumer confidence is a key driver of demand, and its absence can undermine even the most robust industrial strategies.
“By safeguarding consumer rights, the CPP is expected to stimulate demand for local goods, thereby supporting capacity utilisation, job creation and value chain development,” he said.
The policy is seen as a tool for formalising parts of the economy, as businesses will be required to adhere to clearer regulatory standards, which could enhance regulatory oversight.
The CPP aligns Zimbabwe with global best practices, where consumer protection frameworks are increasingly integrated into industrial and trade policies to enhance competitiveness.
The Government believes the policy will deliver the dual benefit of protecting consumers, while simultaneously strengthening the market position of Zimbabwean products.
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