By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
SHOPRITE Zambia has considerably contributed to competition in the retail sector since it started operating in Zambia 20 years ago, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has said.
CCPC public relations officer Hanford Chaaba said the multinational chain store had contributed significantly to the competition in the retail sector.
Mr Chaaba said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Shoprite, which celebrated 20 years of operating in Zambia, had contributed significantly to the retail industry in the country.
“Yes Shoprite has contributed significantly to the competition currently obtaining in the retail industry in Zambia, being one of the pioneer retail stores in the country after liberalisation of the economy,” he said.
Mr Chaaba said competition was healthy in the retail sector as it contributed to better delivery of services such as good packaging and competitive pricing of items.
During the 20 years’ celebrations in Ndola, it was disclosed that the chain store had 26 outlets in Zambia and had increased the number of local suppliers of commodities from five to 80 in Ndola alone.
The company is also planning to open three more stores in Mongu, Chingola and Lusaka’s Makeni area in the near future.
And in random interviews in Lusaka yesterday, one of the shoppers Agness Phiri described the chain store as the most competitive in the country in terms of pricing.
Ms Phiri, who was found at Cairo Shoprite outlet in Lusaka, said the store was well-stocked.
“It is one of the well-stocked outlets and the pricing of items is competitive. That is what I like most about this shop,” Ms Phiri said.
Another shopper, Albert Chomba, of Lusaka said the coming of retail outlets like Shoprite had changed the country’s retail landscape in terms of competition as well as job creation.