Why people don't trust local products

Why Made In Africa Is Ignored In Africa? In many African countries, "Buy Local, Build Local" campaigns have been running for decades. Yet when you scan retail shelves, online carts, or customer preferences, one quiet truth echoes through it all: the average African consumer still reaches for the imported alternative. And no, this can’t be about price, quality or customer service. The reasons run deeper into the cultural psychology of aspiration, the economics of invisibility, and a branding war African producers were never trained to fight. The uncomfortable truth is: Many African brands weren’t designed for African buyers. They were built to impress the western world. They borrow minimalism from Scandinavia, pricing logic from New York, and language from Paris but forget to speak to the realities of the Ugandan, Nigerian, or Kenyan consumer. And In trying to look global, they become invisible at home. The deeper issue also is how African innovation has been systematically undervalued by colonial legacies, Western education systems, and our own institutions that rarely validate local success with the same energy they use to attract foreign investment. Culturally, there’s still a lingering mindset that “foreign means better.” It’s subtle, but it shows.We’re more forgiving of imported defects than we are of local imperfections. And that’s not just a market issue, it’s a deeper identity issue. Take African pharmaceutical brands. Despite impressive strides in local production, many Africans still view herbal medicine as witchcraft while placing blind faith in imported generics. Why? Because foreign meds are seen as certified, regulated, and reinforced by Western systems. It’s not just a question of what works; it’s a question of which system we trust to define what’s safe, modern, and credible. African brands often lack this institutional scaffolding. No strong certification bodies. No loud government endorsements. No mass campaigns that validate their value beyond a social media post or trade fair. And so we end up here:Brands that speak at their people instead of for them. Products that look good globally, but feel irrelevant locally. And consumers who want to support local—until it feels like a compromise. The insights of this post are from a book called “The African StartUps Playbook. Check it out via here https://lnkd.in/dXuidwDX

#Made_In_Kurdistan We Can’t Build a Strong Economy if We Don’t Believe in Our Own Products! As a Kurdish woman, I dream of seeing my nation thrive. However, I often worry about rising unemployment, underutilized potential, and the limited faith we place in what we produce. One reason? Many still trust imported goods more than our own, even when ours are better. Recently, I was looking for simple Kurdish items, e.g., tea, coffee, chocolate to take while traveling and share a small taste of home with two or three friends abroad. I went from shop to shop asking for products made in Kurdistan. Each time, I was told: "This one’s from country X; people love it." When I insisted on buying only local, a salesperson said, “You’re being racist.” For a second, my brain just gave up and hit the laugh button! Since when did supporting your own economy become something to explain?! Racist?! Nice! But why? Why is it so normal for us to overlook what we have? Kurdistan isn’t short on resources. We are rich in soil, talent, and culture. What we lack is confidence in our own capabilities and the support systems to help local products shine. Another challenge is packaging. Let’s be honest, presentation matters. I’ve seen local products that taste better and are higher in quality, yet they’re wrapped in plain, unattractive packaging. Meanwhile, imported products with lower quality are chosen simply because they look better. Branding and packaging aren’t extras; they shape trust and perception. Some strong initiatives have emerged backed by the government, and they’ve shown what’s possible. But we need more. We need people to believe. We need systems that support our producers, and we need government and society working together. We need to create more production spaces and, most importantly, build a culture that values what we make with our own hands. What We Can Do to Strengthen Our Local Economy: - Prioritize Kurdish products in all sectors. - Showcase them in malls, airports, tourist areas, and online. - Improve packaging, branding, and marketing to meet global standards. - Build factories and industrial zones to create sustainable jobs. - Offer incentives like lower taxes, affordable loans, and rent support. - Support small businesses to grow and compete. - Provide training and digital tools for farmers, artisans, and producers. - Let public institutions lead by sourcing locally. - Upgrade local products for export and open trade channels. - Launch a nationwide “Buy Local” campaign to reshape consumer habits. - Launch a competition for branding and product ideas, then fund the best ones. - Invest in youth through mentorship, innovation spaces, and startup support. - Strengthen partnerships between government, the private sector, and civil society. Each step supports the next: demand creates jobs, jobs build stability, and pride builds nations. Kurdistan has what it takes; we just need belief, direction, and the will to act.

The other day, I was having a conversation about brands, and someone said, “Let’s be honest, if an Indian product and an imported one were placed side by side, people would still pick the imported one.” And that statement stuck with me. Because, unfortunately, it’s true. Why do we still believe ‘imported’ means better? For decades, Indians have been conditioned to believe that foreign brands are superior. That if it’s “Made in Italy” or “Made in France,” it must be premium. But if it’s “Made in India,” we instinctively check twice, compare, or assume it’s second-best. It’s in the way we choose a perfume, assuming an international label means better fragrance. It’s in how we pick a burger, assuming the foreign name means better taste. It’s in how we shop for leather, believing that quality craftsmanship can only come from outside. But here’s the reality, India has arrived. We’re no longer just a manufacturing hub for the world. We’re building brands that stand shoulder to shoulder with global giants, not as alternatives, but as category leaders in their own right. ✅ Nappa Dori is redefining luxury leather craftsmanship, setting a global standard for quality and design. ✅ Hidesign produces some of the finest leather goods, handcrafted with precision and unmatched attention to detail. ✅ Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters is leading India's specialty coffee revolution, making artisanal brews an everyday indulgence. ✅ GOOD FLIPPIN' BURGERS® is proving that a great burger doesn’t need a global chain behind it, just passion, precision, and quality ingredients. These brands don’t just compete with global names, they excel. Because they are built for us, by us. But here’s the thing, Indian brands can only rise if we take pride in them. If we stop assuming that quality comes from abroad and start recognising the brilliance being built in our own backyard. If we celebrate our own brands not just when they expand globally, but when they stand tall in India. The next generation of global brands won’t come from outside. They’re being built right here. So, the choice isn’t just what you buy. It’s what you choose to believe in. #madeinindia #globalquality #indianbrands 

77 years into independence, and India is still considered a developing country. Ever wondered why? Look at Dubai. They started in 1966 and are now a developed nation. Or consider South Korea, which transformed from a war-torn country into a global powerhouse. Meanwhile, India remains in the developing category. What’s holding us back? A big part of the answer is “trust.” India is a low-trust society and we still struggle to trust each other deeply, especially when it comes to personal growth and status. A lot of this trust revolves around money. When a foreign brand markets something, we’re quick to trust it, maybe our mindset is still colonized. (sorry to say this, but it's a reality) We’re okay with consuming palm oil, sugar, and cheap packaged foods, just because they come with a foreign label. But when it comes to authentic Indian products, we hesitate. There are a lot of khadi brands that sell high quality fabrics, but we don't buy it, because it's "desi". It’s not something we can take pride in. But when a luxury brand imports the same khadi from India and sells it back to us at 10 or 20 times the price, we’re eager to pay and flaunt it as a mark of success. This mindset shows a deeper issue and that's why our brands are reluctant to experiment, because the consumers do not trust local products easily. But there's a bright side to it: Once you earn people’s trust, they can make you a major brand in India. Just look at Tata, Reliance, Patanjali, Dabur, HUL, ITC, and many successful spiritual leaders who built their reputations over time, because they believed in the power of brand loyalty. If we want to be truly independent, we need to get away from this colonial mindset. I'm not saying you should only buy Indian products, but support the brands that provide quality, and value. India has the potential to be the #1 nation in the world, and with a mindset shift, we can make that happen. Are you with me on this?

One of the biggest misconceptions Africans have about themselves—and by extension, African entrepreneurs—is that something is only "good enough" if it’s cheap or free. This mindset has long limited the growth of local businesses and stifled innovation across the continent. We often find ourselves willing to spend exorbitant amounts on imported goods simply because they carry a recognized international brand name. But why is it that when local entrepreneurs create something of equal or even better quality, the first reaction is often skepticism, criticism, or bargaining for the lowest price? Why do we devalue what comes from our own soil? This misconception is not just about economics—it’s about mindset. It’s about believing that excellence can come from within, that African brands can be world-class, and that supporting them means investing in the continent’s future.