Chain stores urged to prioritize local products

CHAIN stores operating in Zambia should prioritize selling locally-produced products to support the small scale farmers in the country, Young Emerging Farmers Initiative (YEFI) Executive Director Richard Kachungu has said.

Speaking to The Scoop, Mr. Kachungu said there was a need to change the undesirable market trends and embrace a consumer culture that valued locally grown products.

He said a free market economy required some optimal and moderate level of regulation to ensure that the competition process was safeguarded and essentially, the abuse of market power and predatory behaviour was prohibited.

 “Most locally manufactured products are of good quality but unfortunately, they continue to suffer challenges of indifference, cultural perception, and poor supply-chain management. However, a free market economy often comes with invisible market barriers which inhibit other players from actively participating in the economy as they would ideally perform.

“If the local products in renowned chain stores in Zambia are increased, this would help boost consumer preference towards the locally sourced and locally produced commodities. Therefore, the chances of local products being purchased depends on how the product has been displayed in a particular chain store in terms of enhancing visibility and influencing consumer preference,” Mr. Kachungu said

He said promoting the production and consumption of local products should also include the aspect of positioning the local products at a strategic position in every chain store in Zambia in order to reinforce demand and psychologically transform the consumer preference.

“It is vital to note that products on shelves are often positioned strategically for instance, those on top tend to benefit more on sales ratings while those often consumed by children or slow movers and are often displayed at the bottom of the shelves in most supermarket chain stores. Henceforth, if one desires to have one’s product as it should be for any business entrepreneur, it is cardinal that one secures space on the top level of the shelves in a particular supermarket chain store.

It is also interesting to note that in terms of microeconomics, the entry dynamics and requirements associated with accessing shelf space in the supermarket chain stores are somewhat similar to those of a product which is attempting to access the international or foreign markets beyond our borders. It can also be observed that supermarket chain stores tend to embrace economic and market principles that demand proper branding, good quality products, and consistent supply capabilities,” he said.