Rwanda’s hosting of F1 races ‘destination marketing at the highest level’
Rwanda’s marketing body is enthusiastic about the F1 announcement, emphasising that ‘investors and visitors follow governance, not slogans’.
COUNTERFEIT GOODS
Flood of counterfeit grocery items into Zimbabwe is causing concern
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
Authorities say goods may be a public health risk. Tuck shops stocking these items are also undermining viability of formal retail sector.
Around half of groceries seized from tuck shops and vending stalls in Zimbabwe have been found to be fake and potentially dangerous to the public.
This is according to a senior government official in the wake of the country’s crackdown on counterfeit and smuggled goods.
Pemba Mpimaji via Wikomedia Commons
Speaking to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce last week, Douglas Runyowa, Chief Director for Commerce in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said the influx of these goods is at alarming levels.
“Most of what we have seen in the informal sector is quite shocking. In our awareness programmes we are warning people that, while some of these products might be cheap, they come at the expense of health because we cannot guarantee their safety,” Runyowa said.
“I do not want to scare you, but I must inform you that we recently carried out a survey where we purchased products from the shelves and tested them.
“The results showed that 50% of these products did not comply with the required standards. You can find fake Vaseline, fake flour, fake rice, fake toothpaste – and this is an alarming situation.”
The investigation, which is said to be ongoing since October last year, is being carried out by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in collaboration with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe.
“The surge in informal trading has had a detrimental effect on formal retail businesses, with many large supermarket chains reporting significant losses as more consumers turn to tuck shops for cheaper alternatives. Some formal retailers have been forced to scale back operations or shut down entirely,” reports the news website ‘New Zimbabwe’.
It quotes Runyowa as saying: “While we must crack down on counterfeit goods, we also need to find ways to support formal businesses and ensure they remain competitive.”
Researchers examine how AI shopping could backfire on retailers
The stakes are higher as AI shifts from answering questions to taking action. A bad purchase is more serious than a bad recommendation.
Tasty Gallos targets forecourts as fuel retailers rethink their business models
Faced with declining fuel sales, forecourt operators are transforming into larger and more convenient retail destinations
F1’s return to Africa gives Rwanda a powerful nation-branding platform
Formula 1 motor racing’s return to Africa after more than three decades will give Rwanda a high-profile platform to strengthen its international image.
Researchers define what makes a product ‘cool’ in different cultures
‘Coolness’ can feel intangible, but knowing which lever to pull – and where – might be the closest thing marketers have to a formula.
Dentsu Africa and Blitz formalise long-standing Malawian partnership
After years of collaboration, the agencies have signed an affiliate partnership agreement which gives Dentsu an official presence in Malawi.
World Cup has become a global platform for promoting harmful products
Sport should be part of the solution to poor health – not a powerful advertising platforms for the products driving it, researchers warn.
MAZ to research state of the marketing and communications industry
The research will support better decision making and planning, as well as identify opportunities and challenges that require the industry’s attention.
France’s Adopt Parfums enters the DRC market with first Kinshasa store
Expansion into the Democratic Republic of Congo adds to Adopt Parfum’s presence in multiple Francophone African markets.
Checkers supermarket chain expands its smart-trolley technology
Xpress smart trolleys have been trialled in the Cape Town area for more than a year. Now the technology has expanded.
Remise du Prix AMC à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire
Le organe membre de l’African Marketing Confederation en Afrique francophone remet le prix à NSIA Vie Assurances.