The Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) is advising consumers in Zambia to give product labeling the attention and seriousness it deserves by ensuring that they read all product details before making the final decision to buy.
ZABS Head Marketing and Public Relations Officer Hazel Zulu said this is because product labeling is in fact a form of consumer protection that is aimed at informing the consumer about the quality and safety of the product they are about to buy.
“As a Bureau we have noted with concern that a number of consumers only realize that the product they have bought has a quality or safety problem after consuming it or using it, which can be avoided.
And Ms. Zulu has revealed that ZABS have recorded 21 customer complaints between January and May this year, which she believes that would have been avoided had consumers taken time to read the product details to help them make informed purchasing decisions.
Ms. Zulu noted that it is for this reason that the bureau has decided to remind all consumers in Zambia to ensure that they read the product details before buying to avoid being inconvenienced.
“Some of the information that consumers should look out for is the expiry date, the manufacturing date, the batch number and the place of origin of the product. Consumers also need information on products such as the name, price, contents of the product, and directions for use, storage and warnings of dangers, if any”
“We also wish to advise manufacturers to ensure that product labelling is given priority in their product development processes”.
“Product labelling is the display of information about a product on its container, packaging or on the product itself. Product labelling is therefore information given to consumers on the product and its use”
“The importance of product labelling therefore, cannot be overemphasized. ZABS mandate as you know is to provide efficient and effective standardization and quality assurance services to industry, regulators and consumers in order to contribute to the improvement of the quality, competitiveness and safety of products and services on the market” Ms. Zulu said
CAN SOMEONE TELL ME THE ORGANISATION RESPONSIBLE FOR REGULATING WATER IN ZAMBIA. FOR ENERGY PRODUCTS WE VE ERB , SO I WANT TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WATER , BECAUSE THERE IS ALOT OF RUBBISH GOING ON IN THIS SECTOR
ZABS is also very useless. I’ve seen and bought products with their label and it tests like expired product. How do they standardize products?