Consumer Protection Commision

About Us

The Consumer Protection Commission is a statutory body created through an Act of Parliament, the Consumer Protection Act, (Chapter 14:44). The Act was enacted to protect the consumer of goods and services by ensuring a fair, efficient, sustainable and transparent market place for consumers and business.

Vision Statement

To have a well-informed, protected and empowered consumer

Mission Statement

To promote the protection of the consumer from deceptive and unfair business practices through enforcement, advocacy, research, and education, dispute resolution, and engagement of related stakeholders

Core Values

Inclusiveness: We commit to ensure that every citizen integrated into economy, respecting their rights to access to all their rights.

Integrity: Commit to act in an honest, transparent and responsible manner at all times while implementing our programmes.

Professionalism: We are guided by professional ethics aimed at building an appropriate corporate culture and creating the right corporate image, driven by professional conduct in our dealings with internal and external stakeholders.

Impartiality: Uphold the highest levels of equity in discharging our responsibilities in pursuit of our mandate and organizational goals by treating all stakeholders without any discrimination whatsoever.

Teamwork: Adopt a participatory approach and work together at all levels in the conduct of our business.

Innovation and Creativity: We are a learning organization that embraces change and continuously enhances creativity and innovation in its business processes.

CPC Mandate

To protect consumers from unconscionable, unreasonable, unjust or otherwise improper trade practices; as well as deceptive, misleading, unfair or fraudulent conduct; conduct conciliation and arbitration between parties, conduct education and awareness, provide consensual resolution of disputes and redress arising from consumer transactions, investigate and evaluate alleged prohibited conduct and offences, and to ensure that prohibited conduct and offences are prevented, detected and prosecuted.

Overall Functions of the Commission

Protect consumers from unconscionable, unreasonable, unjust or otherwise improper trade practices; as well as deceptive, misleading, unfair or fraudulent conduct;

• Conduct conciliation and arbitration between parties;
• Promote fair business practices;
• Co-ordinate and network consumer activities and liaise with consumer organisations and the competent authorities and agencies locally and outside zimbabwe to protect consumer interests;
• Promote consumer confidence, awareness, empowerment, and the development of a culture of consumer responsibility, through individual and group education, vigilance, advocacy and activism;
• Provide for a consistent, accessible and efficient system of consensual resolution of disputes and redress arising from consumer transactions;
• Refer matters to and appear before any court of law, as permitted or required by this act;
• Negotiate and conclude undertakings and consent orders;
• Issue and enforce compliance notices in terms of section 68 of this act;
• Receive complaints concerning alleged prohibited conduct or offences, and deal with those complaints;
• Investigate and evaluate alleged prohibited conduct and offences;
• Maintain a record of and publish annual reports on consumer complaints and the outcomes of any hearings;
• Encourage and assist governmental and official organisational support to further the interests of consumers and consumer organisations;
• Refer to the competition commission or any other relevant authority any concerns regarding market share, anti-competitive behaviour or conduct that may be prohibited in terms of the competition act [chapter 14:28] or other relevant acts;
• Cooperate with other consumer protection authorities to obtain redress across borders for consumers affected by fraudulent and deceptive commercial practices;
• Promote international co-operation in the comparative testing of consumer goods and services and facilitate exchange of test methods, plans and results;
• Recommend the effective implementation of this act and any other laws affecting consumers;
• Monitor—
  • The consumer market to ensure that prohibited conduct and offences are prevented, detected and prosecuted; and
  • The effectiveness of accredited consumer groups, industry codes of conduct and alternative dispute resolution schemes, service delivery to consumers by organs of state, and any regulatory authority exercising jurisdiction over consumer matters within a particular industry or sector; (s) regulate the accreditation of consumer protection advocacy bodies and industry associations; and (t) exercise any other function that may be conferred or imposed on the commission by or in terms of this act or any other enactment.