Uganda National Bureau of Standard-UNBS has announced plans to phase out the use of quality marks and introduce distinctive marks on digital stamps.
UNBS Deputy Executive Director, Paul Musimami revealed this during an online discussion on the standard requirements for Alcohol and Alcoholic drinks organized by the standards body.
He said: “The distinctive mark is supposed to be very visible on the DTS because that’s the notified mark whether within East Africa but also it is the one legally operating within the country. And so going forward, at an appropriate time, we will not be expecting the distinctive mark to be on the label, you will get it through the DTS because that kind of mark we are able to interrogate it, maybe consumers, but even us as regulators, we are able to interrogate it and know whether the product has been certified or whatever.”
According to Musimami, the distinctive marks on digital stamps will help UNBS track counterfeit products on the market.
He revealed that UNBS is investing in market surveillance activities in order to resolve the problem of porous borders and ease tracking of counterfeit products.
How Ecobank is Betting on Inclusive, Tech-Powered Learning in UgandaHe called for concerted efforts by Uganda Revenue Authority-URA to deal with the informal sector in order to address the problem of counterfeits.
Speaking during the same engagement, the UNBS Market Surveillance Manager Daniel Arorwa called for detailed reports by informants on manufacturers that continue to produce sachet alcohol.
URA introduced digital stamps in October last year to address challenges in tax collection, elicit trade, counterfeit products and unfair competition on the market.
