Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) says it withdrew non-compliant products valued at K3,779 from the market in Eastern Province during the fourth quarter of 2025.
Agency Manager for Communication and Public Relations, Brian Hatyoka, said the figure forms part of the total value of K440,645.89 worth of non-compliant products withdrawn across 10 provinces during the same period.
Mr. Hatyoka said the products were removed from circulation during the National Open Market Surveillance conducted in the fourth quarter of 2025.
“These non-compliant products were expired, banned, unregistered and poorly labeled, among other reasons,” Mr. Hatyoka stated.
He encouraged members of the public to report suspicious products to enable the Agency to take appropriate enforcement action.
Mr. Hatyoka also urged learners and other consumers to cultivate the habit of reading product labels to safeguard their health.
“Labels should be clear and indicate the name of the product, name and address of the manufacturer, batch number, list of ingredients, country of origin, storage instructions, directions for use, manufacturing date and expiry date, among others,” he emphasized.
“The language on the product label must be in English. Other languages may be used but these languages must be in addition to English.”
Mr. Hatyoka made the remarks when he paid a courtesy call on Eastern Province Education Officer, Brainely Malambo, to brief him on the joint School Clubs project between ZCSA and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), aimed at promoting consumer protection and product safety awareness among pupils.
Through this initiative, CCPC and ZCSA will engage learners in fun and educational activities such as commemorations of Consumer Rights days, debates, articles, and essay writing, puzzles and quizzes, branding activities and simplified product safety education.
The two statutory bodies, which are under Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, launched the joint project last year and have so far sensitized pupils in Lusaka, Muchinga and Southern Provinces. ZCSA and CCPC are this week expected to engage pupils in selected schools of Chipata on consumer protection and product safety awareness.
Speaking during the same meeting, Mr. Malambo emphasized the need to safeguard learners from unsafe products on the marketing, adding that it was the Government’s vision to ensure pupils learn under a safe, conducive and inclusive environment.
“The health and safety of pupils must not be compromised by expired and other unsafe products on the market,” he said.
He stressed that his office will work closely with ZCSA and CCPC to sensitive schools and pupils in Eastern Province on consumer protection and product safety awareness.
