Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen has confirmed that fake or adulterated honey products have so far been detected only in informal, non-franchise outlets, with no evidence implicating major supermarket chains.
His assurance comes amid research showing honey to be one of the most fraud-prone food products globally, heightening concerns about consumer protection and the long-term sustainability of South Africa’s honey industry.
“Fake honey” refers to products that are mislabelled or adulterated, often diluted with corn syrup, rice syrup or other sweeteners and then sold as pure honey. In some cases, these products areinexpensive syrups packaged to resemble authentic varieties.
They are harmful because they mislead consumers, deprive them of the nutritional and medicinal qualities of genuine honey, and erode trust in the market. For beekeepers, fake honey depresses prices, undermines livelihoods and weakens pollination services that are vital for agriculture and food security.
Between November 25 and 29 2024, inspectors acting under the Agricultural Product Standards Act seized 1,059 honey‑based syrups and 388 mislabelled honey products in Crown Mines, Kempton Park, Laudium and Marabastad. Two wholesalers were fined R1,500 each.
Officials reported that the products were supplied by third‑party distributors who left no paper trail, complicating efforts to trace their origin. Laboratory testing is under way to confirm the extent of adulteration.
Steenhuisen stressed that mainstream supermarket chains have not been implicated, noting that compliance in formal retail is centralised and corrective action is taken nationally if non‑compliance arises.
The department has chosen not to publish the names of individual informal supermarkets, arguing that disclosure would be ineffective. Instead, it intends to expose implicated brands and raise consumer awareness through communication campaigns.
The #StopFakeHoney initiative has been launched to educate consumers on how to identify genuine honey and to safeguard the integrity of the domestic industry.
A 2024 paper by the University of Cape Town found that honey is the third most adulterated product worldwide, after olive oil and milk. The study highlighted a striking mismatch: global honey exports doubled between 2004 and 2022, while the number of beehives increased by only 8%.
The gap has been attributed to counterfeit products entering supply chains. For South Africa, the implications are direct. Local production has remained stable at just over 1,000 tonnes annually, while imports rose from 65% of the market in 2010 to 86% in 2021. This reliance on imports has heightened vulnerability to fraudulent products, making consumer exposure a systemic risk rather than an isolated incident.
Scientific advances such as melissopalynology — the study of pollen in honey — are being developed locally to authenticate origin and protect producers. Establishing routine verification would build consumer trust, strengthen domestic regulation and open premium export markets.
The Mineworkers Development Agency (MDA), in a media statement, said:“The department’s decisive intervention sends a strong message that unethical and fraudulent practices have no place in our markets. Protecting the integrity of South Africa’s honey industry is essential not only for beekeepers but also for the broader agricultural sector that relies on pollination.”
The agency noted that it has supported more than 700 beekeepers nationwide, underscoring the economic and food‑security stakes of the crackdown.
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