New regulations introduced in 2010 require cosmetics traders to have their goods inspected in their countries of origin.
However, Ugandan importers are afraid that bureaucrat delays will make it impossible for small cosmetics companies to collaborate with other transporters.
Janat Namukasa, a body lotion importer, explained: “I cannot personally manage to bring a full container. If I was to buy products worth 10 feet of a container, I would talk to some importers of, say, clothes or shoes and we put our products together to import.”
“With Pvoc, people are already blacklisting us (cosmetics dealers). They fear that the inspection of products would cause them bureaucratic delays.”
The Pre-export Verification of Conformity to Standards program was introduced by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and covers cosmetics, electronics and food products.