Widespread poverty and low disposable incomes are driving many Malawians to buy cheaper, substandard goods, forcing producers to lower product quality to maintain sales, a new study by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has found.

The bureau commissioned Ungwiro Consultants to carry out a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices study on quality culture in Malawi, assessing public awareness of standards and perceptions of product quality.

Presenting the findings at a validation meeting in Blantyre on Thursday, lead consultant Michael Jana said that although most citizens know of MBS, many remain unclear about its specific mandate and role in enforcing quality assurance.

He said producers were deliberately lowering standards to match what consumers could afford.

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"Business owners are producing low-quality products to meet the prices consumers are looking for, even though they know quality is good for their reputation," he said.

Jana urged MBS to improve transparency when acting against counterfeit or inferior goods and to provide regular updates on enforcement measures.

He also encouraged the public to report substandard products to MBS and the Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) to help strengthen a national culture of quality.

MBS deputy director general Thomas Malunje said the study highlighted areas of strength and weaknesses that the bureau would address.

He said MBS would work internally to improve systems and increase public engagement under its strategic plan's "Strategic Culture" pillar.

Participant Grace Sukasuka stressed the importance of enforcement, saying consumers deserved safe products regardless of economic pressures.

She said quality often comes at a higher cost but remained central to MBS's duty to regulate markets and protect the public.