By Tinomudaishe Muzanenhamo
Zimbabwe is turning to technology to combat the growing trade in counterfeit goods, with Buy Zimbabwe partnering with local technology firm Owana Lost and Found to introduce a digital product verification system.
The initiative will allow consumers to check the authenticity of participating products by scanning a QR code embedded in the Buy Zimbabwe insignia.
Speaking at Anti-Counterfeit Day commemorations, Buy Zimbabwe executive and board chairman Munyaradzi Hwengwere said counterfeit goods posed a serious threat to the economy, jobs and public health.
“The issue of anti-counterfeits is more serious than we imagine,” he said.
Hwengwere estimated that counterfeiting was costing Zimbabwe about US$1.2bn in lost value and more than 20 000 jobs each year.
Counterfeit products, he said, were no longer confined to a few sectors but included food, batteries, rice and chemicals.
The full health impact of fake products, particularly counterfeit food was yet to be established, he added.
Hwengwere said Zimbabwe needed stronger detection and confiscation measures, better product traceability and increased consumer awareness to tackle the problem.
He said technology was becoming increasingly important as counterfeiters improved their ability to reproduce genuine packaging, prices and even product weights.
“Technology works because people can copy. But you cannot fake technology.” he said
Representing Owana Lost and Found, Tofarayaniso Dube said the company had developed locally produced technology that would be integrated into the Buy Zimbabwe insignia through a QR code.Consumers buying participating products would be able to scan the code and access information confirming the product’s authenticity and accreditation.
The system could provide details including the product name, manufacturer, weight and expiry date.
Manufacturers could also opt to record information about the retail outlet where a product was purchased, potentially giving them greater visibility of how their goods move through the market.
Dube said the technology had been designed with several layers of protection to make it harder for counterfeiters to replicate.
“All the features we have are there to defeat the counterfeiter,” he said.
The data generated by the system could also help Buy Zimbabwe and manufacturers identify counterfeiting trends and suspicious activity.
Dube said manufacturers could potentially detect irregularities involving their products even outside Zimbabwe.
Owana has also introduced what Dube described as a new profession, the External Brand Inspector, to help manufacturers monitor their brands and products in foreign markets.
Hwengwere warned that the fight against counterfeiting would require constant adaptation because criminals quickly change tactics when they discover how their products are being detected.
“If they realise that you used to catch them because of weight, they’ll just make sure that is the right weight,” he said.
He said the battle could not be treated as a one-off campaign, stressing the need for continuous vigilance as counterfeiters became more sophisticated.
Consumers will also play a key role with Buy Zimbabwe urging people to exercise caution when confronted with products being sold at unusually low prices.
Hwengwere warned that what appeared to be a bargain could ultimately come at a much higher cost, particularly when counterfeit food, chemicals and other potentially dangerous products were involved.
The proposed QR-code system is expected to give consumers a simple way of verifying products while providing manufacturers with greater insight into their brands and the wider market.
Stakeholders say a combination of technology, stronger enforcement and consumer awareness will be needed if Zimbabwe is to make meaningful progress in tackling counterfeit goods.
