Govt warns traders against cheating consumers

MWANZA: TRADERS and producers who manipulate measurements to cheat consumers risk legal action, the government has warned, as it steps up efforts to promote fair trade and improve the competitiveness of Tanzanian products.

Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Dennis Londo, said yesterday that producers in the industrial and agricultural sectors must meet prescribed quality standards if locally made goods are to compete effectively in domestic and international markets.

Speaking at the seventh Business and Economic Development Conference, Mr Londo said quality production was critical to strengthening Tanzania’s industrial base and realising National Development Vision 2050, which seeks to build a competitive, industrial-based economy.

He urged producers and business operators to prioritise quality, saying better standards would open up opportunities for increased production, investment and employment.

“Producers in the industrial and agricultural sectors, together with business operators, must ensure their products meet the quality requirements of both local and international markets,” he said.

Mr Londo also called on experts and educational institutions to conduct research aimed at solving the country’s economic and business challenges, saying evidence-based solutions could improve production processes and raise product standards.

Weights and Measures Agency (WMA) Senior Officer in Mwanza Region, Mr Lazaro Joram warned that manipulating measurements undermines consumer protection, distorts fair competition and erodes public confidence in the market.

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“Accurate measurements are essential to ensuring consumers receive the quantities they pay for while protecting honest traders from unfair competition,” he said.

Mr Joram cautioned that anyone found violating laws governing weights and measures would face legal action.

“The aim is to ensure that consumers receive the quantities of products they have paid for and that businesses operate fairly,” he said.

Weights and Measures Officer for Geita Region, Mr Mohamed Mbizo, said product quality must go hand in hand with accurate measurements throughout production, packaging, transportation and sales.

He urged consumers and business stakeholders to report suspected measurement fraud to the agency, stressing that public cooperation was crucial to curbing malpractice and creating a fair business environment.