By HELEN ZULU –
THE Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) has destroyed assorted goods worth K224,905 which were seized in Lusaka last year.
The goods were seized between March and December 2015 and were incinerated at Chunga dump site.
ZABS head of marketing and public relations Hazel Zulu said this was in a quest to ensure that only safe and reliable products were found on the market.
Ms Zulu said the incinerated products included 612 boxes counterfeit shoe polish purported to be Kiwi shoe polish valued at K125,048, non-compliant electric cables and appliances worth K29,165 and 39 bales of used under garments valued at K58,500.
She said a total of K315,980.26 was paid to the bureau by various companies as penalty fees.
“The products failed for various reasons, some of which were wrong colour codes of extension cables, round pins for plugs instead of the standard square pins, and counterfeit or imitation shoe polish.
“The drinks were labelled in a foreign language instead of the official language of communication and business in Zambia, which is English,” Ms Zulu said.
Ms Zulu said other failed products were used underwear, which were prohibited for sale or use in Zambia, while other products were confiscated because they had no importation documents.
She said this was as a result of the routine market surveillances and inspections that were conducted in Lusaka in the period under review to check on levels of compliance on regulated products.
ZABS expressed worry as the situtation was detrimental to the development of the country but was hopeful that measures taken by the bureau would be a deterrent to those traders who did not want to follow the law.
“We are concerned about the health and safety of the consumers and would like to take this opportunity to alert consumers about the dangers of buying and using substandard products.
“Consumers should be quality conscious and take time to read product details for their own safety,” she said.
Ms Zulu further warned traders and manufacturers that selling substandard products was a violation of the Standards Act Cap 416 of the Laws of Zambia and could result in them losing their permit to supply.
She said importers and suppliers were expected to familiarise themselves with requirements stipulated in the product standards and related compliance requirements to avoid such occurrences.