• Importation and sale of second hand underwear was banned 17 years ago.
• SI No. 120 of 2006 was established to protect the safety of consumers.
• People should be concerned about their health.
Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has advised consumers to desist from buying second hand or used undergarments and go for products that are properly regulated.
Speaking when he featured on Money FM’s special radio program, Agency Head of Communication Brian Hatyoka said importation and sale of second hand underwear was banned 17 years ago when Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 120 of 2006 was established.
Mr. Hatyoka explained that the SI was put in place to protect the safety of consumers because used textile products that are worn in very close contact with the skin may cause ailments such as skin rash.
“Of course the argument that has come is that the imported used underwear are cheaper than when you go to a reputable shop where they are buying underwear and vests, yes it could be cheaper but cheap is expensive.”
“So it is better to buy properly regulated products but when someone is buying that which is diseased and has these other challenges and then it is offloaded on the market, people who buy may have health challenges. People should be concerned about their health. SI Number 120 of 2006 does not allow importation of used textile products containing underwear and night wear. When you talk of 2006 we are talking of 17 years ago a law was put in place to restrict the sale and importation of used underwear,” Mr. Hatyoka emphasized.
He urged traders to consider venturing into alternative businesses that they can easily engage in to avoid losing their income once authorities confiscate their bales of used textile products containing undergarments.
“Underwear garments such as pants, pajamas, vests and night wear are banned, they are not allowed to be on the market, just right on the border those products will be seized but we have these smart traders who are trying to evade the law by sneaking these products into the country. These products are banned on the market, the moment we find them, we have to remove them from circulation,” he added.
The Zambian Standard (ZS) 559: Inspection and Acceptance Criteria for Used Textile (Salaula) prohibits the importation and sale of used textile products containing undergarments and night wear like pajamas, night gowns, ladies and gents’ briefs, brassieres camisoles, vests.
The Zambian Standard (ZS) 559 was declared compulsory by Statutory Instrument No. 120 of 2006 to protect the safety of consumers because used textile products that are worn in very close contact with the skin may cause ailments such as skin rash.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hatyoka said commercially products alcoholic drinks in Zambia range between 2 to 40 percent in terms of alcohol content but that illegal production of alcoholic drinks above 40 percent content level has continued.
“So in a bid to control such excessive alcohol consumption in Zambia, SI No. 18 of 2020 was put in place to guide on the manufacture, sale and distribution of portable spirits like ‘tujilili’ which have high alcohol content level. So there was that SI that was put in place and also the Zambian Standard 808 for portable spirits was declared compulsory under the SI 18 of 2020,” he said.
He stated that the Agency has been going round to check if manufactures that are producing alcohol meet the required standards so that the public is safe as they consume the products.