The government has noted with dismay the impromptu on-going closure of Spar outlets in Zambia at a time when the Chain store has grown to become one of the household names in Zambia.
Spar Zambia Limited Management announced that it will close its retail outlets across the country after having operated for over eighteen (16) years.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Hon Christopher Yaluma says this development is unprecedented and Government through his ministry is very much concerned as the consequences would obviously have impact on the economy and general welfare of the target employees.
Hon Yaluma told journalists in Lusaka that unfortunately, the decision by Spar Zambia Limited is being actualized at the time when countries globally have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic or Coronavirus.
“Since its launch through commercial presence on the Zambian economy in 2003, Spar Zambia Limited has been an active player in the domestic retail sector by providing effective demand for local products which are marketed and sold in its outlets across the country. The Chain store is said to be one of the world’s largest retail chain operating in over thirty countries. Spar Zambia Chain stores are known for providing wide variety of products which includes food and groceries, fruits and vegetables, wines and beverages, takeaway restaurants and in-store bakery section,” said Hon Yaluma.
“Given this wide range of product lines, Spar Zambia and other similar stores in the retail sector play a significant role in stimulating value-chains development, job creation and contributes to government treasury through various tax remittance. Spar Zambia has over the last decade of operating on the local market established an admirable brand for itself among the Zambian consumers of which typically everyone would desire to safeguard in the interest of economic stability.”
The Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister stated that in view of this unfortunate development in the retail sector instigated by the exit of Spar Zambia Limited from the economy, Zambia cannot underscore the importance of the need for Government to intervene and explore robust strategies to help remedy the situation and avert potential material injury to the retail sector and the economy in general.
Hon Yaluma called upon all concerned stakeholders to remain calm as Government through his Ministry pursue remedial measures anchored on ‘‘home-grown solutions for sustainability and inclusive participation’’.
“My Ministry through Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has already engaged Spar Zambia and other potential investors to explore corporate finance strategies on how to manage a smooth exit of Spar Zambia from the local market. We are working smart to ensure that the closure of Spar outlets did not scare other Chain stores nor limit competition in the retail sector. Let me take this opportunity to assert that Covid-19 pandemic has induced a different way of doing business under the ‘‘new normal business environment’’ and this demands for business entities to be more innovative and while Government continues to provide the necessary support. And this will only be achieved if all relevant stakeholders through public-private-partnership collaborated in good faith and for mutual benefit,” he added.
“It is, therefore, my Ministry’s desire that the private sector undertakes to embrace the Proudly Zambian Campaign (PZC) and consummate business partnerships to either bridge the gap being left by those entities exiting the market and or utilize the programme as a foundation for innovative business partnerships anchored on home-grown solutions. Further, the private sector players are encouraged to embrace a hybrid framework that is characterized of innovation and partnerships that guarantees cost efficiency and building of economies of scale for competitiveness on the market.”
We will ensure the protection of workers comes first. Amen
We will ensure the protection and welfare of workers comes first. Amen kz
Kkkkkk! I have never seen or heard such fo.olish man like this ar.se KZ! Protect workers from whom? This guy has lost his mind totally.
The employer, Spar, is leaving and employees are about to lose their jobs and you are saying you will protect them – how? And from who?
PF ouya bebele! This prik always makes useless statements so long they support PF!!
They are closing down because they didn’t pay a bribe to PF, lungu, Kz,
And Kz says he is worried for the workers, why don’t you pay them with the money you have stolen from zambia
@Chilyata
Even a P.rick atleast has one sense… he his worse than that.
It only requires one to have a grade 7 certificate to know why Spar is leaving…
Chinyata, kz is not your class iwe mumbwee, he is 50steps ahead of your life president hakaind.
Cost of doing business is the main reason, especially cost of electricity.
@nickson, under 5 refuses to grow up. He was a tribal child, installed as watchman on the grave of Mazoka to ruke crawl of Tonga clan
KZ is a nincompoop, let him be
Cost of doing business….supermarket is a penny profit business….so it seems like the overhead expenses outweighs the profit…its that simple…and for Makaka chimbwi Kaizar Zulu what are you going to do with all the people losing jobs…
It is becoming unsustainable to operate even a Kantemba in Zambia and what more chain stores of international standard.
PF destroyed everything.
Yaluma is a tribalist
You dull sadist diasporans. Listen As a government we have a duty to ensure that all the workers receive their redundancy money and other accrued benefits. Do not be dull. Companies close all over the world. Anonymous you ask wht we will do with all those that have lost jobs? I will employ some of them in my own companies subject to skill sets and also they will have to look for other alternative jobs. People lose jobs every day all over world. Part and parcel of the capitalist economy.
This is only the beginning and next will be shoprite and then choppies! You haven’t seen anything yet. This is just the beginning. You will regret having chosen leaders who are confessed ‘chimbwi no plan’
Right now all countries have locked in their resources and either enjoying their healthy resources or scrapping the pots of food. I know which group Zambia belongs.
This upcoming world depression will be bigger than the on felt in 1920s great depression age.
Resources will become scarce and most of the investors will leave the country. There will be no more flour coming coming from
South Africa because South Africa is equally broke. You will be queueing for bread and cooking again and the rains will fail for a few years bringing about a famine. Zambians would have learnt a BIG…
Sad development, i frequent the downtown Spar. My friend packs shelves there.
Sad development, i frequent the downtown Spar. My friend packs shelves there.
Sad development, i frequent the downtown Spar. My friend packs shelves there.
Hey pipos, it is not time to fingerprint and quarrel on party lines. Covid-19 is real and everybody agrees on the negative effect it is having on world economies. Every company is concentrating on cutting costs, keeping afloat by concentrating on 0rofitable lines and outlets. Being in Europe I am seeing retail outfits closing by the thousands. If copper is not bringing enough export cash flow, it is effecting local suppliers, their workers, government revenue in real terms is down, retailers will be the first to close
What local businessmen should do is to engage Spar, Shoprite, Choppies and Pick and Pay to consolidate with local shareholders stake increase. Malls shall reduce their rent and monthly charges.
Government shall cut their top brass ( No need to have too many ministers and…
PF under the non existent so-called leadership of the most corrupt president this country has ever seen is bringing any honest company to its knees. And disciples like crook KZ are promising to employ sacked Spar employees in their companies? How did you get those companies KZ? How much did you pay Edgar China Lungu? You better shut up, you will be high on the list of people going to jail once PF has lost the elections.
GermanZ what your saying is mostly correct in the first world but in Zambia we we have greedy people , most of the shopping mall’s and building owners are Indians, Lebanese and Greeks and a growing number of Chinese , they will never lower their rent , they would rather leave it empty .the biggest problem in Zambia is we import all this food from SA, thus with the bad exchange rate the items become too expensive for the average person so sales drop. we must produce local and cut govt and it’s fat cats from the gravy train.
You are dismayed kaili in your minds everything is rosey and well in the country…
@Kaizer Zulu, you have companies for real? What do they manufacture or sale? Snake oil? Give us more info!
They simply can’t compete. Instead of reminiscing, invite other players in. The like of Aldi and Lidl are wreaking havoc on the European market. I wonder why our so called billionaires fail to invest and buy up these shops. Spar have made enough and see no market.
Very sad news. Spar in Zambia really tries to buy and sell locally produced products, especially fresh food unlike PnP and Shoprite. Choppies is really no competition to Spar as most of its goods come from SA. Spar also opens early and closes late which helps a lot. Spar is doing well in SA so something other than the virus is forcing it to quit Zambia.
And the minister is only now waking up to what happens when a country is sold? Too late.
Its your governments economic policies that have made all these chain stores to close. Who can operate with K20 to a dollar? How many people can afford the goods that will be imported. Then expenses of electricity times how many shops. Transporting goods to all the shops in the country how much fuel are they going to use at exorbitant prices. They will leave behind all these buildings as empty shells.
Shouldn’t we have had our own Zambian ‘Spars’ by now, selling grown, manufactured and processed products from Zambian farmers and Zambian industries? Everything locally sourced and creating employment?