DAR ES SALAAM: THE government has instructed the freight forwarders to work closely with Fair Competition Commission (FCC) to ensure that counterfeits do not enter domestic market, so as to protect consumers’ health and protecting domestic industries.
This was said in Dar es Salaam on Thursday by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa in a speech read on his behalf by the Industry and Trade Deputy Minister, Mr Exaud Kigahe, at the climax of the World Anti-Counterfeiting Week organised nationally by FCC.
“I instruct freight forwarders to cooperate with FCC in ensuring that counterfeit goods do not enter the country to protect consumers and our industries,” he said.
Either, he asked the brand owners to make sure that they track their products with their logo in the market so that they can inform the authorities to take appropriate action including imprisonment or pay a fine according to the law.
The Merchandise Marks Act, 1963 prohibits” sale, storage or production of counterfeit goods.
“I want the brand owner to closely monitor all those who forge their logo to provide information to the relevant authorities for legal action.
“Also, I urge them to continue raising awareness about their products, so that it helps consumers not to guess about products,” said Mr Majaliwa.
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The Premier urged business people and producers to pay attention to product markings in order to be able to supply legitimate products and avoid giving fake products because by doing so they hurt consumers.
Mr Majaliwa said the counterfeit products stifle market competition and result in significant revenue losses due to informal trade practices that evade government taxes.
“The use of counterfeit goods not only harms consumers health but also undermines economic growth as well as stifling innovation and job creation opportunities,” said Mr Majaliwa, adding that in order to mitigate risks, citizens should purchase goods from authorised outlets and refrain from buying untraceable products.
He said FCC in cooperation with producers and stakeholders will be able to control counterfeit goods, whereby they will make investors and traders enjoy the market of Tanzania, East Africa, Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and continue to produce in high quantity.
“Joint efforts are needed to eliminate counterfeit goods to attract investors,” he emphasised.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister said the government is cooperating with various countries to stop the counterfeit goods business and that the embassies in the country should educate their traders not to import or have on transit counterfeit goods into the country, noting ‘Tanzania is not a thicket of counterfeit products’.
He said that the ministry will work on all instructions given by the Prime Minister to make sure no counterfeit goods will enter or be produced in the country.
He added that the commission remains steadfast in ensuring a fair market that benefits all stakeholders and safeguards consumer interests.
