Zimbabwe inspected 5,069 businesses and processed 535 prosecutions last year as authorities intensified a crackdown on counterfeit and smuggled goods, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has revealed.
Addressing a public lecture organised by Zimpapers, Permanent Secretary Dr Thomas Utete Wushe said “deeper collaboration to crack down on counterfeit goods is the solution,” describing illicit trade as a structural threat to domestic industry.
He said the Taskforce on Business Malpractice had “driven measurable recovery on the home front,” citing 6,194 compliance notices issued in addition to inspections and prosecutions.
The ministry links the enforcement campaign to rising utilisation rates in selected firms. According to Wushe, Waverly Blankets increased production capacity from 25% to 40%, while beverage producers Delta and Afdis recorded growth of up to 59%. He added that “80% of locally made basic commodities now occupy shelf space.”
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While the figures suggest momentum, the data raises further questions.
Authorities have not disclosed the conviction rate from the 535 prosecutions, the monetary value of confiscated goods, or whether compliance notices translated into sustained behavioural change. Nor is it clear how much of the reported industrial recovery is attributable directly to enforcement, as opposed to currency stabilisation and import controls.
Counterfeit goods, particularly in groceries, beverages, pharmaceuticals and clothing, have long undercut formal manufacturers through price arbitrage. However, economists argue that enforcement alone cannot address the demand-side drivers of informality, including price sensitivity and weak consumer purchasing power.
Wushe maintained that government “continues to prioritise economic growth by arresting counterfeits so that fair trade is promoted and the production of quality, competitive products increase.”
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