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The decision last year by Edgars Zimbabwe to revive its Express stores brand is paying dividends and making inroads among cost-conscious shoppers. This is according to various local media reports quoting senior company executive Menfree Tanyanyiwa.
The reports follow a recent visit to the company’s Carousel garment factory in Bulawayo by Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube.
Media outlets quote Tanyanyiwa as telling the Minister that the Express low-price offering on new clothes has helped Edgars to drive growth and offset the impact of second-hand imported clothes on the formal retail sector.
“We brought back the Express stores specifically to target the lower end of the market. We want to take on that market head-on, where people are going to amabhele/mabhero (second-hand clothing sellers),” he is quoted as saying.
“We want to be able to sell things in the Express stores for US$2 or US$3, and the only difference is that these items will be brand new, as opposed to second-hand clothing. So, we were trying to regain our market share, as it were, by also targeting that end of the spectrum,” he said.
When Edgars relaunched the Express brand in March 2025, it noted that the stores would focus on “delivering stylish, accessible options that meet the needs of budget-conscious shoppers without compromising on quality”.
Tighter restrictions on second-hand clothing sellers
Meanwhile, The Herald newspaper reports that the Government has gazetted regulations banning second-hand clothing, except in cases where the importer has obtained a valid permit authorising the importation for charitable purposes only.
“While the Government has previously made policy pronouncements regarding second-hand clothing, the new measures now have firm legal backing under the Statutory Instrument 59 (Control of Goods (Import and Export) (Commerce) (Amendment) Regulations of 2026.
“The Government reaffirmed the ban in August last year, following a similar order issued a few years ago. However, the current regulations provide the statutory authority required for full enforcement,” The Herald states.
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