Tanzania, May 11 -- Dar es Salaam. Loudspeakers blaring commercial adverts have become a defining - and increasingly controversial - feature of many markets in Dar es Salaam, raising concerns over noise pollution, public health and communication breakdowns between traders and customers.

While business naturally relies on advertising, what is now unfolding in markets such as Mchikichini (Karume), Ilala, Kariakoo, Manzese and Tandika is being described by users as not promotion, but excessive noise that disrupts daily trading activities.

Visitors to these markets are often greeted by recorded announcements played at high volume, promoting shoes, clothes, bags and other goods. The result, customers say, is a chaotic environment where commu...