Buy Zimbabwe Chairman Munyaradzi Hwengwere
By Dickson Bandera
Buy Zimbabwe Week 2026 is set to run from 23 to 28 November, with a renewed national campaign calling on consumers to choose locally manufactured products and join the fight against counterfeit goods and smuggling.
The six-day initiative, running under the theme “Buy Original Zimbabwean, No Counterfeit, No Smuggling”, will place the relationship between consumer choices, domestic industrial growth and the protection of local businesses in the spotlight.
Organised by Buy Zimbabwe, the campaign seeks to strengthen demand for locally produced goods and services while drawing attention to the economic damage caused by counterfeit products and the illegal entry of smuggled merchandise into the domestic market.
At the heart of the campaign is an important economic question: how can Zimbabwe strengthen its manufacturing sector if locally produced goods struggle to compete for space and consumer preference in their own market?
For local manufacturers, the challenge is not only about production capacity but also about securing a sustainable market for their products. Consumer preference for imported goods, unfair competition from counterfeit merchandise and smuggling can undermine the market opportunities available to legitimate domestic producers.
Buy Zimbabwe Chairman Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the organisation wanted the campaign to translate awareness into practical action against counterfeiting and smuggling.
“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. Buy Zimbabwe Week provides an important platform for bringing together consumers, businesses, policymakers and enforcement agencies to confront these challenges,” said Hwengwere.
He said purchasing locally manufactured products was an important way of protecting Zimbabwe’s productive capacity, sustaining businesses and preserving employment.
“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 said.
Economist Dr Persistence Gwanyanya said prioritising locally produced goods and services could stimulate domestic production, strengthen businesses and support employment across different sectors.
“When consumers prioritise locally produced goods and services, they help create demand for domestic production, support businesses and sustain employment across different sectors of the economy,” said Gwanyanya.
He added that increased demand could encourage manufacturers to expand production, invest in capacity and strengthen local value chains, while contributing to economic growth, import substitution and the retention of more economic value within the country.
As part of the 2026 programme, Buy Zimbabwe will conduct three days of roadshows and two days of activations at local wholesale and retail outlets.
The activities will provide opportunities for consumer engagement, product awareness and education on identifying genuine products. Local manufacturers and businesses will also showcase their products and interact directly with consumers.
The campaign brings the spotlight back to the role of the domestic market in supporting Zimbabwe’s industrial ambitions, with Buy Zimbabwe seeking to make purchasing original Zimbabwean products a conscious economic choice.
With Buy Zimbabwe Week running from 23 to 28 November, consumers, retailers, manufacturers and other stakeholders are being called upon to participate in an initiative that seeks to protect local industry, promote genuine products and strengthen the market for Zimbabwean-made goods.
