Abstract

Food safety legislation in Zimbabwe provides statutory powers for inspection, seizure, destruction of unsafe food, and prosecution of such offenders. However, empirical evidence on how these powers are enforced in practice remains limited. This study conducted a review of food safety-related legal cases adjudicated in Zimbabwe between 1990 and 2025. Published High Court and Supreme Court judgments were analysed alongside magistrates’ court prosecutions and administrative enforcement actions documented in credible public sources. Cases were characterised by enforcement pathways, legal instruments invoked, evidentiary standards, outcomes, and institutional actors. The study reveals that food safety enforcement in Zimbabwe is active but unevenly visible. Higher courts primarily addressed procedurally complex matters, including civil litigation and trade-linked enforcement, while routine enforcement occurred largely through magistrates’ courts and administrative actions. Common violations included expired foods, false description, labelling non-compliance, and illegal beverage manufacture. Enforcement was predominantly police-led, supported by environmental health, consumer protection, and laboratory services. Sanctions were generally modest and preventive in nature. However, most routine prosecutions and administrative outcomes were not captured in publicly accessible legal repositories. The identified records suggest a food safety system that is operational but fragmented, although findings should be interpreted as indicators of enforcement visibility rather than comprehensive measures of enforcement activity. Improved transparency, reporting, and coordination of enforcement actions would strengthen understanding of food safety governance in Zimbabwe.