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Pick n Pay keeping it local

Local is lekker: Pick n Pay Namibia Managing Director, Norbert Wurm

Shelf space enables the interface between consumer and producer. Otherwise the product remains outside the mainstream economy and only functions as a low-value commodity in informal markets. 

 

It is through this that mega retailer, Pick n Pay Namibia has reiterated the importance of supporting the government’s ‘Growth at Home’ strategy and its commitment to support the Ministry of Trade and Industry to reinforce the importance of accelerating economic growth, reducing income inequality and increasing employment. Pick n Pay Namibia Managing Director, Norbert Wurm said, “in order to attain the strategic objectives for manufacturing as outlined in the 4th National Development Plan, it is extremely important that we all stand together, remain committed and continue the journey of achieving the goals and objectives of Vision 2030 in order to realize a sustainable economy for ourselves and future generations to come. I also always maintain that a dollar spent on imports is gone, we can’t get it back.
A dollar spent on locally produced goods stays in the economy and keeps on being spent, thereby keeping the cash earned on value addition in the Namibian economy.” Wurm added, “as part of the O&L Group, we are totally committed to this strategy as all our endeavours are aimed towards encouraging Growth at Home and living up to our purpose of ‘Creating a future, enhancing life’ for Namibians. That is why we stock a variety of Namibian products that range from edible groceries such as cookies and maize meal to fresh produce; charcoal; wood, and hardware such as local steel cups in our stores. We are proud of the fact that we play a role in boosting Namibian products which in turn contributes to Namibian employment and the economy as a whole.” Wurm said, “I believe that we (all stakeholders) can do much better, therefore we should do much more to educate our consumers to get to know all available local products which are advertised through branding, in-store merchandising as well as promotions and to ensure they understand the value of and what it means to buy local.”
Wurm added that people were generally under the impression that local products should be cheaper but that it was not always possible.
“In my opinion local products should not necessarily be lower priced, but it must rather be competitive,” he said.
He said that Pick n Pay Namibia’s door is always open for local suppliers to contact them should they wish to secure product-space on its shelves.

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