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Charity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
BULAWAYO companies came face-to-face with consumers yesterday during a Buy Zimbabwe sensitisation campaign in which they were told to reduce prices, improve packaging and marketing strategies if they are to compete with imports.

While consumers hailed the quality of local products, they singled out high prices as the major reason why they prefer cheaper imports.

“Indeed locally manufactured products are of great quality compared to imports. The greatest challenge is that these (local) goods are very expensive. This gives us no option but to opt for the low quality foreign products, which are affordable,” said Dumisani Dube, a resident from Makokoba who attended yesterday’s meeting at Stanley Hall.

Another resident Sandile Nyoni weighed in, challenging local companies to improve on packaging to enhance product appeal.

“The way our companies package their products isn’t motivating. South Africans are very creative and they don’t run out of ideas. At times just the packaging entices a consumer to buy a certain product,” she said.

Another participant who declined to be named blamed poor marketing techniques saying most local firms were not effectively marketing their products.

“For a product to be bought, people should be aware of the product existence. The culture of marketing local products has died in the country.

“Companies should use the media — newspapers, radio, television and Internet to advertise and create awareness of their products to consumers instead of using flyers,” said the participant.

Companies were also quizzed on what steps they were taking towards boosting capacity utilisation and improving product competitiveness.

“Products from outside the country were introduced in 2008 at a stage when local production had declined. We’ve lost confidence in local companies. Will local companies be able to produce for the whole country?” queried Bongani Sibanda.

In response, a representative from Lobels only identified as Thulani, assured consumers that local companies were able produce enough for the domestic market.

“Lobels recently launched a new baking machine. This was a sign to assure the Bulawayo community and the country that Lobels is here to stay and produce to meet national demand,” he said.

Tidings Chaitezvi, Innotec executive officer said he was optimistic the appetite for local products would increase.

“Consumers are challenging companies to improve their ways of operations in terms of pricing and marketing. The general opinion, however, is that local products are of good quality. If companies review their pricing systems consumers will certainly buy local products,” he said.

The inaugural Buy Zimbabwe sensitisation meeting was part of the weeklong engagement initiative that started at the weekend organised by the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign in collaboration with Innotec.

Several company representatives are attending the meetings to answer questions from consumers.

The meetings are meant to sensitise and raise awareness on the importance of purchasing and consuming locally produced goods in an effort to create jobs and revive the Bulawayo economy.

The programme began with a road show in the city centre on Saturday and meetings that started in different suburbs on Sunday.

Today meetings will be held at Tshabalala Hall at 9AM and Nkulumane Hall at 12 noon.

There will be a media and ministerial tour of six companies tomorrow followed by an awards session on Thursday ending with an interactive conference at the City Hall on Friday.