For the second time this year, ZAMM Investments has been found guilty of selling Cool Drop Mineral water which was likely to cause injury or harm to consumers and unconscionable conduct.
According to a statement by the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) dated August 8 2024, the company was selling water which was contaminated and had clearly visible foreign bodies that rendered the product unfit for human. consumption.
According to CFTC, they instituted investigations following findings by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) that several batches of Cool Drop Mineral water (BTH277, BTH016, BTH253, BTH018 and BTH291) did not meet the stipulated Malawi Standards.
“Additional complaints were also received from some consumers which indicated that some more batch numbers of the product had the same defects with some containing some visible white foreign objects.
“Tests conducted by the MBS showed that the water was unfit for human consumption, and was thus recalled from the market. However, the Respondents did not conduct an effective recall of the products, to the effect that the products could still be found on the market in large volumes.
After deliberations, the Commission said it has referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to institute criminal proceedings against Zamm Investments for failing to adhere to the previous Commission’s cease and desist orders and secondly for supplying products likely to cause injury or harm to consumers and unconscionable conduct in the supply of goods.
This is the second time the Commission has refered matters to do with Zamm Investments to the DPP.
In March this year, the DPP’s office confirmed to The Atlas Malawi that they are investigating the company for possible prosecution.
Ministry of Justice public relations officer Frank Namangale said; “We received the report. The DPP has sent the report to other agencies to undertake criminal investigations. Thus collecting the pieces of evidence and tracing witnesses needed”.
In the first case, the company moved and recalled all affected batches from the market.
