Firms counselled on compulsory standards

Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

LOCAL manufacturers of products that fall under compulsory standards have been advised by the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) to obtain permission from the bureau before supplying them.

This is in accordance with section 12 of the Standards Act, Cap 416 of the Laws of Zambia, which demands that only manufacturers with permission or authorisation from the bureau are allowed to supply products to which compulsory standards apply.

Compulsory standards are national standards to which compliance has been made mandatory.

ZABS head of public relations and marketing, Hazel Zulu, said there were currently 50 products that fell under compulsory standards some of which included mealie meal, cooking oil, peanut butter, fruit-flavoured drinks and bottled water.

Ms Zulu said in a statement that other products were cement, poultry feed, compound fertilisers and rubber condoms, to mention but a few.

“We make this call therefore to remind local manufacturers to make sure that they operate within the law by ensuring that they are inspected and licensed by ZABS for as long as they are supplying products that fall under compulsory standards,” she said.

She said in the month of May, 2017, ZABS visited nine local manufacturers for compliance assessments in the northern and southern region and discovered that three of the companies visited were operating without a license or authorization to supply the products.

“It is against this background that we want to remind manufacturers to access our list of compulsory standards from the bureau and ensure that they apply and obtain a license to supply products that fall under compulsory standards,

“Retailers and wholesalers likewise are advised to buy products from manufacturers that are licensed or authorised to supply by ZABS so that they are sure that they are buying products that have been tested and certified as quality products,” she said.