Denford Mutashu
Timothy Maponga Business Correspondent
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers in partnership with Ribal Brand solutions will host the Zimbabwe International Retailers’ Summit next month. Running under the theme ‘Unlocking Zimbabwe’s retail opportunities for accelerated economic growth’, the summit will discuss issues affecting the retail sector and policy issues requiring further interrogation.Some of the pivotal issues to be discussed at the summit will include currency reforms as well as the effects of the weakening rand on the local economy among other issues. The summit will also review how the bond coins introduced by The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe have managed to resolve the ‘change’ crisis which had seen most retailers over-charging for their goods and services.
CZR president Denford Mutashu in an interview said the summit will also discuss how best to improve capacity in the manufacturing sector and the employment levels. Meanwhile, Mr Mutashu said retailers should use conventional strategies to market products in the face of stiff competition rather than resorting to engaging touts.
Many clothing retailers in the capital are now employing touts to lure customers into their shops, with the practice extending to butcheries and supermarkets as they battle to outmanoeuvre street vendors.
Mr Mutashu urged retailers to desist from engaging touts to attract customers and instead find holistic market approaches for survival. “This is an unconventional method of marketing and it causes discomfort to customers as the touts will be using loud hailers attached to radio speakers which make a lot of noise,” he said.