(3 minutes read)
· The Consumer Unity Trust Society ( CUTS), a Zambian based consumer organization, said that that the ban on the importation of edible oils has contributed to skyrocketing the prices of cooking oil in the country and the consumers are on the receiving end
· Government should engage the local manufacturers of edible oils in order to reduce the cost of production
· CUTS felt that external competition can be used to rein in the local manufacturing sector to innovate
The Consumer Unity Trust Society ( CUTS), a Zambian based consumer organization, said that the ban on the importation of edible oils has contributed to skyrocketing the prices of cooking oil in the country and the consumers are on the receiving end.
CUTS said government should engage the local manufacturers of edible oils in order to reduce the cost of production and added that the cost of doing business in Zambia has increased over the last two to three years and this has in turn made the cost of products that are produced locally more expensive. Manufactures also import some inputs and the costs are dictated by the exchange rate movement.
CUTS felt that external competition can be used to rein in the local manufacturing sector to innovate. Competition ultimately benefits the consumers. If consumers feel a certain good or brand is not up to their standard or is too expensive, they can select another good brand of higher quality. That is a basic consumer right, CUTS said
