Latest News

Black Friday Caution to Consumers

2021-11-23

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) wishes to advise the general public to take caution during the Black Friday event which falls on 26th November,2021.

The CCPC is aware that during this activity many businesses offer huge price discounts to consumers ranging from 25% to as high as 75%, while some firms are in a habit of hiking prices of their products and purporting discount bargains when in fact not.

In this light, the CCPC wishes to caution all consumers participating in this year’s Black Friday event to be alert of false or misleading sales promotions initiated to attract unsuspecting consumers to buying goods or services through an illusion of a special or reduced price. 

CCPC is further advising consumers to consider conducting personal research on the products they intend to purchase by cross checking prices of items on promotion and make reference to older pricing in order to make an informed decision.

Consumers are further encouraged to request for receipts from their respective service providers as proof of purchase and lookout for return policies to be sure that the store will not charge them a restocking fee for any item which they may wish to return. 

In addition, consumers are urged to keep documentations such as receipts, warranty and guarantee safe as that is useful to the Commission for initiation of investigations especially in an event where a consumer is denied redress. 

The CCPC takes this opportunity to warn the traders not to involve themselves in deceptive and misleading sales promotions as that is prohibited under the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) No.24 of 2010. Therefore, we will not hesitate to name and shame where anomalies are observed.

Namukolo M. Kasumpa

Compulsory Product Recall of Appletiser

2021-11-16

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has received a cautionary notice from the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) informing the general public to avoid the purchase and consumption of some affected batches of Appletiser drinks suspected to contain mycotoxin (‘patulin’) above the permitted limit of 50 parts per billion (50ppb) for foodstuffs. 

According to the World Health Organization, patulin is a form of mycotoxin which when consumed in high levels may cause nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances and vomiting. 

The warning comes after Coca-Cola South Africa (CCSA) company, the manufacturers of Appletiser initiated a voluntary recall on or around 23rdSeptember of some batches of Appletiser from the market in South Africa only, whereas it was established that Appletiser is imported and distributed into Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Common Market), no such recall was announced or made.

In view of the above CCC requested CCSA to recall the affected products from the Common Market and issue a notice to the public indicating its distributors and related dealers in the Common Market to enable consumers identify where to return products.

Further they were directed to inform the public of any undertaking to replace the products or refund the price of the products and desist from exporting the same products to the Common Market until such a time when the defect is corrected and the general public is informed accordingly.

Considering that the recalled products are unsafe, and CCSA has not taken steps to recall them from the Common Market, CCC is hereby invoking Article 33 (2) of the COMESA Competition Regulations to issue a compulsory product recall notice to CCSA.

The specific batches of Appletiser can be identified by looking at the Best Before date which is stamped at the bottom or top of the products and have the following date codes as shown in the table below.

Volume and type of Packaging	Date Code
1250ml PET	BB 07NOV21
750 Non-Returnable Glass	BB 30MAY22
275ml Non-Returnable Glass	BB 10JUN22
330ml CAN	BB 18MAY22
330ml CAN	BB 19MAY22
330ml CAN	BB 23MAY22

In view of the foregoing, the CCPC is urging all Zambian consumers and traders to exercise caution by ensuring that they look out for the affected batches of Appletiser drinks for the good of their health and safety.

Further, we would like to advise all consumers who may have already purchased the affected products to report to any of our provincial offices across the country or call on the toll-free number 5678.

Namukolo M. Kasumpa

CCPC Cautions Public on Consumption of Some Ceres Apple Juice

2021-10-15

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has received a cautionary notice from the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) informing the general public to exercise caution and avoid the purchase or consumption of some affected Ceres 100% Apple Juice suspected to contain higher patulin levels than the legal threshold of 50 parts per billion (microgram/kg). According to the World Health Organization, patulin is a form of mycotoxin which when consumed in high levels may cause nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances and vomiting.  

Pioneer Foods Company of South Africa who are the manufacturer of Ceres 100% Apple Juice has informed the CCC on the matter and is undertaking a recalling exercise of the affected batches that were marketed in Member Statesof the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (“the Common Market”). 

The recall by Pioneer Foods follows laboratory tests and engagements with the local supplier of the apple juice concentrate used in the reconstitution of the concentrate into apple juice.  

In view of the foregoing, the CCPC is urging all Zambian consumers and traders to exercise caution by ensuring that they look out for the affected batches of Ceres 100% Apple Juice for the good of their health and safety. 

The CCPC hereby directs all importers, distributors, traders, wholesalers and retailers to remove and surrender to the nearest Public Health office of every Council all affected Ceres 100% Apple Juice with immediate effect. 

Further, if the above products were already purchased, consumers are advised to return the products where they were purchased for a refund or replacement.

Namukolo M. Kasumpa

CCPC and CCC Seize Goods in Eastern Province

2021-10-13

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in partnership with the Chipata City Council (CCC) seized assorted goods worth K165 in an inspection conducted on 30th September 2021 at 15 trading premises of Chipata’s Central Business District (CBD) in Eastern Province. 

Food products such as Minced Meat and Tinned Fish were seized for not meeting the mandatory product information standards set by Section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) No. 24 of 2010 as well as the Food and Drugs Act Cap 303 of the Laws of Zambia.  

The CCPC however notes that out of 15 trading outlets inspected, only one outlet was found to be selling products that were past their best before dates and insufficiently labelled signifying a 93 % of the traders’ compliance rate with the Act. 

In light of the above, the Commission wishes to encourage all traders, retailers and distributors to continue complying with the law for enhanced consumer protection in the country.

Further, the CCPC in collaboration with CCC and other relevant stakeholders will continue to enforce the law in accordance with their respective mandates in order to ensure that consumers are protected from any unfair trading practices in Zambia. 

Namukolo M. Kasumpa