Why Uganda is a dumping ground for counterfeit foods
TACHA highlighted that counterfeit food items being sold in Uganda include dairy products such as milk and formula, as well as beef. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
According to Anti-Counterfeit Hub Africa (TACHA), more than half of Uganda’s 46 million people struggle to distinguish between genuine and fake food products
Food experts and consumer rights activists have attributed the increasing influx of counterfeit food products into the Ugandan market to a significant lack of awareness and understanding among consumers.
According to Anti-Counterfeit Hub Africa (TACHA), more than half of Uganda’s 46 million people struggle to distinguish between genuine and fake food products.
TACHA highlighted that counterfeit food items being sold in Uganda include dairy products such as milk and formula, as well as beef. The consumer rights advocacy group also pointed out that unscrupulous traders and manufacturers are exploiting this consumer ignorance by selling expired goods.
Mr Fred Muwema, a founding member of the advocacy group and a lawyer, emphasised the particular vulnerability of infants. “Criminal networks in downtown Kampala markets are endangering babies’ health. They alter the expiry dates on formula and sell it for $10 instead of discarding it. This is extremely dangerous,” he stated.
Mr Muwema further noted that these tampered dairy products are also found in supermarkets. Affordability “Due to affordability and the difficulty in telling the difference between counterfeit and genuine food, some people end up purchasing fake products,” he explained.
He was speaking to journalists at a recent Zoom meeting organised by Consent, a non-profit organisation advocating for consumer rights, focusing on the link between consuming fake foods and increasing non-communicable diseases.
Mr Muwema described counterfeit foods as a multi-billion-dollar industry that requires aggressive intervention. He also stressed that the absence of clear laws and policies specifically addressing counterfeit foods in Uganda hinders the prosecution of offenders.
He urged the government to enact legislation to protect consumers from counterfeit foods and food fraud. Food Rights Alliances recently warned that consumer complacency, low compliance among food industry actors, and weak enforcement by food regulatory bodies in Uganda create a fertile environment for the production, trade, and consumption of unsafe food.
The organisation stated that food safety challenges are escalating annually, with Uganda recording approximately 1.3 million cases of foodborne illnesses each year. Children under five years old are disproportionately affected, bearing 40 percent of the foodborne disease burden, with 125,000 deaths annually, representing 14% of all cases reported by the Ministry of Health (MoH). Food safety risks persist as a major problem for urban populations nationwide due to food vending in open, undesignated areas such as roadsides, drainage channels, taxi parks, marketplaces, and along all streets.
Nutritionists warn Nutritionists have also cautioned Ugandans against purchasing detoxifiers and natural food supplements sold openly in the market. Consent warned that such products may not be safe for human consumption and could lead to ill health in consumers.
The organisation explained that detoxification aims to reduce the body’s toxic load from the accumulation of toxins, often resulting from the consumption of processed foods. These “junk foods” are typically converted into toxins during digestion. Mr Bernard Bwambale, the assistant project manager at Consent, cautioned that some detoxifiers are contaminated with hazardous chemicals, rendering them unsafe.
He advised Ugandans to prepare their own detoxifiers and natural food supplements using fresh fruits and vegetables available in local markets. Vigilance Mr Ibrahim Bossa, the principal marketing officer at the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), urged Ugandans to be vigilant for counterfeit products in the market.
He stated that while the standards agency is working to prevent counterfeit goods from entering the market, citizens must remain alert to avoid consuming foods that pose health risks.
The dangers
Criminal networks in downtown Kampala markets are endangering babies’ health. They alter the expiry dates on formula and sell it for $10 instead of discarding it. This is extremely dangerous,” Fred Muwema, founding member of Anti-Counterfeit Hub Africa
