‘Africa no longer a dumping ground for sub-standard imports’

Long gone are the days when substandard goods could just be dumped in Africa. In fact many countries have come a long way in bringing legislation up to standard in order to address the many loopholes, which saw a relentless avalanche of substandard and expired goods sprung on local markets. According to Thomas Andrews, business development manager for Intertek, a third party inspection company operating across the globe, Africa has come into its own and is gradually putting an end to dysfunctional standards. “In countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria all products imported are measured against a very clear set of guidelines in what is called the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVOC) to Standards Programme. This means products must be verified in the respective exporting country to ensure that consumers are receiving safe and quality goods.” With the large demand for imported goods many African countries, including the likes of Tanzania, Angola and Swaziland, are implementing stricter standards for imports. Andrews says it is important that products conform to a local but also internationally accepted standard of safety. “This means products undergo a physical inspection prior to shipment followed by sample testing in accredited and approved laboratories.”