Buy Zimbabwe is set to launch a week-long campaign aimed at tackling counterfeit products and smuggling while encouraging consumers to support locally manufactured goods.
The 2026 edition of Buy Zimbabwe Week will run from November 23 to 28 under the theme, “Buy Original Zimbabwean, No Counterfeit, No Smuggling”.
The campaign seeks to bring together consumers, businesses, policymakers and law enforcement agencies to address practices that threaten local manufacturers, legitimate traders and consumer safety.
Buy Zimbabwe chairman Munyaradzi Hwengwere said this year’s initiative would shift the fight against counterfeit goods and smuggling from public awareness to practical action.
“Counterfeit products and smuggled goods undermine the efforts of local manufacturers, threaten jobs and expose consumers to products whose quality and safety may not be guaranteed,” said Hwengwere.
He urged consumers to prioritise locally manufactured products, saying their purchasing decisions played an important role in sustaining domestic industries.
“By choosing Zimbabwean-made products, we are not only supporting local manufacturers but also contributing to national economic development and building a stronger domestic economy,” he added.
Economist Dr Persistence Gwanyanya said prioritising locally produced goods could stimulate domestic production, sustain employment and strengthen local value chains.
The six-day programme will include three days of roadshows and two days of activations at wholesale and retail outlets.
The activities are expected to educate consumers on how to identify genuine products while providing local manufacturers with a platform to showcase their goods and improve their visibility in the market.
The campaign comes as local industries continue to face competition from imported products with counterfeit goods and smuggling posing additional challenges to legitimate businesses.