Desist From Exploiting Consumers, Cement Manufacturers Told

Cement manufacturers have been told by the National Association of Small and Medium Scale Constructors that they should not sell their product at exorbitant prices, in spite of an increase in cement demand within the country.

The general secretary for the National Association of Small and Medium Scale Constructors has said that cement manufacturers should be patriotic and desist from fixing high prices of the commodity as this may negatively impact on the economy.  

A rise in demand for the product has come following an increase in infrastructure and road projects within the country.  

Only last week, CCPC fined Lafarge Zambia Plc and Mpande Limestone Limited 10% of their annual turnovers in 2019 and 10% of their 2020 annual turnovers for price-fixing, following investigations into the high cost of cement on the market.  

Their prices had almost doubled from K55 to K100 per 50kg back in the six months between July 2019 and January 2020.

Companies have also been told to develop and implement compliance programmes to ensure their employees do not engage in anti-competitive behaviour and that the companies do not facilitate and/or participate in anti-competitive conduct.