THE Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult), a development communication organisation, has charged consumers to make product verification a key part of their everyday purchase.
This move, it said, was to avoid buying counterfeit and unregistered products.
Counterfeit goods, it said, were flooding Ghanaian markets not because enforcement was absent, but because too many shoppers still “buy first and verify later at home”.
Campaign
The call from the CDA Consult followed the rollout of a nationwide campaign to reset how Ghanaians shop.
“As part of The Trust Economy — Verify Before You Buy, the CDA Consult is calling on consumers, retailers, manufacturers, regulators, procurement officers and community leaders to make product verification a non-negotiable part of every single purchase,” the Executive Director, Francis Ameyibor, said during a stakeholder engagement in Tema.
For instance, he said the spread of fake electronics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, auto parts and food items across both formal and informal markets was being fueled directly by consumer habits.
"When verification is skipped, demand for fakes stays high and the cycle repeats. Verification is the first line of defence," Mr Ameyibor stated.
Space
Mr Ameyibor said counterfeiting thrived in the space between trust and proof.
"Counterfeit products will not win if we stop giving them space to thrive," Mr Ameyibor said.
"The moment a consumer chooses to check, scan or ask, the market for fakes begins to shrink. Say no to fake products by making verification part of every purchase. It is that simple and that powerful," he added.
He warned that the cost of fakes went far beyond wasted money.
"Fake medicines can worsen illness. Substandard electrical items cause fires. Unregulated cosmetics lead to skin damage. Fake auto parts fail on the road. The economic cost is also heavy, with genuine businesses losing revenue, jobs and brand trust," he affirmed.
Afterthought
Mr Ameyibor said many buyers still prioritised low price and speed over safety and that common verification steps such as checking serial numbers, QR codes, holograms and official dealer lists were routinely skipped.
Online marketplaces, he said, had also made it easier for counterfeiters to present fake goods with professional photos, while buyers rarely confirm authenticity with manufacturers.
“Compounding the problem, consumers who discover they bought a fake often do not report it, allowing the same seller to continue operating.
Mr Ameyibor said reversing these habits required a shift in mindset adding that “Verification must move from being an afterthought to being a habit, like checking expiry dates or receipts.”
Trust Economy-Verify Before You Buy campaign
To drive that shift, CDA Consult has launched the first phase of The Trust Economy-Verify Before You Buy campaign.
Over the next two years, he said the initiative will deliver public education, retailer training and support for brand-led authentication tools across all 16 regional capitals and 150 district capitals.
Campaign materials encourage shoppers to look for security features such as holograms, scratch codes, and tamper seals, use manufacturer verification platforms and USSD codes before paying, buy from authorised dealers and request proof of authenticity and report suspected fakes to regulators and brand owners.
“Every verified purchase is a vote against counterfeiters," Mr Ameyibor said, adding that "when consumers consistently demand proof, retailers will also demand proof from their suppliers. That is how we cut the supply chain."
