The Zambia Bureau of Standards has urged members of the public to be cautious about the products that they are consuming in order to save their lives or avoid unnecessary illnesses.
ZABS Head of Marketing and Public Relations Hazel Zulu said the company was concerned about the incoherent sell and consumption of some dragon energy drinks especially in Lusaka’s city market at lower prices.
Mrs. Zulu noted that there have been concerns from the public on the health aspect of consumers who take certain energy drinks.
Mrs. Zulu indicated that although the energy drink does not fall under the mandatory standards that ZABS is mandated to regulate, the company was concerned about all products that border on public health and safety.
She explained that there were some standards which cannot be enforced by regulation.
She noted that noncompliance to compulsory standards was a crime under the laws of Zambia.
She said standards were declared mandatory in order to protect the health and safety of the public as well as to safeguard the environment adding that ZABS regulates those products that fall under mandatory standards.
Mrs. Zulu said the company will however engage other partners such as the Ministry of Health and the department of public health of the Lusaka City Council to investigate the issue.
She has admonished members of the public to be quality conscious and to carefully read the details on a product, mind the nutritional details, the origin and expiry dates because those simple details can help to save their lives.
It sounds contradictory. ZABS warns against substandard drinks, yet it is not mandated to regulate them no matter how unsafe or unhealthy they may be!
there have been concerns on the health aspects of consumers who take the energy drink.
although the energy drink does not fall under the mandatory standards that ZABS is mandated to regulate, the company is just concerned about any product that boarders on public health and safety.
there are voluntary standards and mandatory standards, Voluntary standards cannot be enforced by regulation while noncompliance to compulsory standards is a crime under the laws of Zambia.
ZABS is not needed in this country. Who pays the salaries of this toothless organization? Surely it is their duty to regulate the drinks. There are some terrible drinks on the market, claiming to be pure juice when it is all synthetic. In the near future the health of Zambians will have deteriorated really badly because of these drinks. Anyone quaffing those drinks should remember that there is no health service in Zambia. Where will you go? You won’t be sent to Pretoria. ZABS so who is supposed to regulate the drinks or monitor standards of products?
Nothing much has been said here. Investigate the risks associated with that particular drink and then tell the consumers what there in for if they continued to consume that drink. You wil see how it will be shunned and thrown in the dust bin.
Zambia Useless Standards Bureau cannot enforce anything.
Zambia Bureau of Standards is a company.. fulu bufi. Toothless !!
Can the Zambia Medical Association comment on this issue instead of getting entangled in political issues.
Dr.Mujata can you and your doctors get air time and explain the dangers of energy drinks.
Because it’s on the demand and making a lot of moni. Tujilijili out of business come in energy drinks. No breakfast pompa ka energy drinks as many as you can since no alcohol .
…how do you expect a kaponya to get bothered and take time to read all that…??…as long as the trader tells them that it boosts their energy to push those wheel barrows and may perform better sexually….they will buy and drink in numbers….
…just do your lab tests…if you find it wanting…ban it or advise the dangers just as we know of the Redbull energy drink..
Ms. Hazel Zulu, what do you mean you are concerned about the “incoherent sell and consumption of some dragon energy drinks?” Why not refer the matter to the relevant regulatory authority? I do agree though that there is excessive drinking of the supposed energy drinks, seems to have become a status symbol of some sort among regular imbibers of alcohol…!
RED BULL is one such drink abused. It is dangerous and has been banned in Australia for some years now.
The energy drinks were popularised by UPND cadres after losing the election. They had to regain energy quickly.
Zabs is Barking at own shadow