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The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has intensified public education on product safety, warning consumers against the dangers of used undergarments and unregulated alcoholic beverages.
Speaking during a roadshow at the Mukuyu Tree (Green Market) in Kabwe on Monday, Brian Hatyoka, ZCSA Manager for Communications and Public Relations, said the agency regulated 102 products covering both imported and locally manufactured goods, including food, beverages, chemicals, solar products, packaging materials, electrical appliances, fertilizers, fuels, construction materials, energy drinks, fish products, used motor vehicles, tomato products, and used textiles.
Under Section 5 of the Compulsory Standards Act, ZCSA is mandated to educate the public on compulsory standards and provide information to protect consumers from unsafe products. Hatyoka said roadshows were a key tool in implementing this public education mandate.
“This roadshow is particularly aimed at sensitising the public on the dangers of used undergarments and unregistered potable spirits,” he said.
The Zambian government declared the standard for used textile products compulsory in 2006 through Statutory Instrument No. 120. The standard, ZS 559, prohibits the importation and sale of used textile items such as pyjamas, nightgowns, underwear, bras, camisoles, and vests.
Hatyoka explained that these restrictions protected consumer health, as close-contact used textiles can cause skin rashes, fungal infections, and sexually transmitted diseases.
The agency also warned against the consumption of illicit alcoholic beverages, which often exceed safe alcohol content levels of 34–55 percent and can lead to blindness, organ damage, and death.
Hatyoka cited last year’s deaths in Kalomo District, Southern Province, allegedly linked to illicit beer produced from methanol, fertilizer, and tyre mending solutions.
“Consumers must purchase potable spirits from trusted sources to safeguard their health,” he emphasized, urging manufacturers, importers, and suppliers to obtain ZCSA approval before selling products on the market.
Hatyoka also called on the public to report suspicious or unsafe products to the nearest ZCSA office, including the Kabwe provincial office, border entry points, or the Lusaka head office.
Highlighting enforcement successes, he noted that during the national open market surveillance in the fourth quarter of 2025, ZCSA withdrew non-compliant products valued at K38,149 from Central Province, which recorded the highest number of unsafe products in the country.
Non-compliant goods included expired, banned, unregistered, and poorly labelled items.
Hatyoka urged producers, importers, suppliers, and consumers to prioritize product safety.
He called on consumers to read product labels carefully, ensuring they indicate the product name, manufacturer’s details, batch number, ingredients, country of origin, storage instructions, usage directions, manufacturing date, and expiry date.
He added that labels must be in English, with other languages allowed in addition.
“The agency is ready to support producers in Central Province to comply with standards, enabling them to access local and international markets. Consumers, meanwhile, should only buy products from regulated and reputable outlets,” Hatyoka said.
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