Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries. Click to learn more.

South Africa's poor hit with counterfeit food

Poor people in outlying and rural areas of South Africa are seeing a growing number of fake food products.

Investigators, legal experts and the Consumer Goods Council (CGC), through a series of raids, have discovered counterfeit milk, wine, liquor, matches, tinned fish, polish, sweets, rice, chips and biscuits. In some cases counterfeiters either scanned and copied the packaging of branded products or stole over-runs of packaging. "Sometimes you will find poor quality rice repackaged as a premium brand. The package may be the original thing, but the rice is poor quality," said CGC spokesman. 80 to 90 percent of counterfeit items were detected through customer complaint lines set up by companies, whose reps often concentrate on big cities and don't visit rural arreas frequently enough.
Annual Outlook Report: Sustainability
The road ahead for CPGs in 2025 and beyond—Packaging World editors review key findings from a survey of 88 brand owners, CPG, and FMCG readers.
Download Now
Annual Outlook Report: Sustainability
Researched List: Engineering Services Firms
Looking for engineering services? Our curated list features 100+ companies specializing in civil, process, structural, and electrical engineering. Many also offer construction, design, and architecture services. Download to access company names, markets served, key services, contact information, and more!
Download Now
Researched List: Engineering Services Firms