Tapping into the value of the South African sports fan market, Nielsen Sports has announced the launch of its latest offering FanLinks, which combines purchase behaviour of South African households with their interest across sports and entertainment, offering a new way of identifying the brands sports fans are buying. Since sport is such a personal
Spur Corporation today reported an increase of 8.4% in group revenue to R525 million as middle income consumers came under increasing financial strain in the six months to December 2019. The group’s profit before tax grew by 19.5% to R161.8 million, boosted by the recovery of an impairment provision of R10.8 million related to its
Key information – Sale of merchandise increased by 7.0% to R81.2 billion. – Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 5.3% to R6.8 billion. – Trading profit excluding hyperinflation increased by 7.0%. – Trading profit on a reported basis decreased by 3.9% to R4.0 billion. – Diluted headline earnings per share, excluding
Richard Hirsch who has been the Managing Director of the Hirsch’s Group for the last eight years has been announced as Chief Executive Officer of this family owned Appliance and Electronics business. He takes over the reins from his father, Allan, who has moved into the position of joint Chairman of Hirsch’s together with his
Mastercard SpendingPulse shows a significant increase in retail spending in December 2017 as consumers benefit from a stronger Rand and lower inflation Mastercard SpendingPulse reports that South African consumer spending showed a healthy improvement over the festive season, with retail sales volumes rising 3.8 percent year-on-year after removing the effects of inflation. This marks the
Insights from Gareth Hawkey CEO, redPanda Group Although the local economy is creating a tough operating environment for South African retailers, technology is providing near infinite opportunities for savvy retailers to drive sales and bottom line growth. From seamless online shop fronts to digitally enabled payment systems, the right technology – underpinned by the most
Innervation Pan African Payment Solutions (Innervation) has announced the acquisition of an African loyalty business, The Loyalty Box from Tritech Media. Innervation forms part of Crossfin Transactional Solutions (CTS), South Africa’s largest independent payments and merchant acquiring solutions platform. Under the terms of the deal, Innervation has acquired The Loyalty Box business for an undisclosed
SPAR Zimbabwe had a busy year in 2019, with the opening of a total of five new stores in the country, incorporating a wider range of ready-to-eat solutions in several of the sites and increasing product range to suit local market needs across their retail estate. The company owned stores expanded by two when an
Massmart is proud to announce that Glenart, a local Christmas cracker manufacturing company and partner on the Massmart Supplier Development Programme, is the first local supplier to be listed with Walmart US on a new export programme. A landmark agreement that will see the company directly supplying their innovative confetti-popping crackers to 800 Walmart US
The Edcon Group announces the sale of CNA to a consortium, majority owned by JSE listed Astoria Investments Ltd, and led by Jan van Niekerk. This transaction is aligned to Edcon’s broader strategy which is to focus on its core business through the realignment of its retail brands and operations. The sale, which is subject
First Choice Fresh Extended Shelf Life (ESL) milk, manufactured by Woodlands Dairy, one of the largest producers in South Africa, has launched its new biobased fresh milk ESL pack. Sporting a new look and feel, incorporating the biobased messaging as well as a new green biobased closure, this is yet another move from Woodlands Dairy
South African consumers engage in both ‘talking and tapping’ when sharing brand experiences or seeking recommendations. The obsession around social media creates the illusion that digital reality rules, putting all real-life communication on the backburner. However, according to a consumer study conducted by global measurement company Nielsen, 98% of South African consumers like ‘talking’ versus
In line with the Shoprite Group’s commitment to ensure that 100% of its plastic packaging is reusable and/or recyclable by 2025, it is now using the 4 000 tons of plastic returned annually to its distribution centers to produce its 100% recycled and recyclable plastic shopping bags. Since the beginning of November 2019, plastic from the retail
In a survey conducted earlier this week by an influential news website Shoprite and Checkers offered the cheapest and second cheapest basket of grocery essentials, bringing some relief for South African consumers currently under intense financial pressure in a depressed economy. First placed Shoprite’s basket was 20% cheaper than that of the most expensive supermarket, while
The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is gaining traction in all sectors. Artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and automation are being applied to create ingenious innovations – advancements aimed at making life easier, improving productivity and speeding up the evolution of industries. McKinsey Digital reports that most aspects of car manufacturing will transform with AI enabling autonomous
Leading cloud solutions provider, Genesys has been announced as Gold sponsor of Digital Retail Forum 2020, set to take place on 29 January at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, South Africa. DRF2020 will focus on how emerging technologies such as Ai, IoT, drones, digital payment solutions, new eCommerce models and mobility are disrupting the retail sector.
On Tuesday, 14 January, the Carrefour Group opened its first hypermarket in Uganda, Kampala capital city. The Group is establishing a foothold in this new country through its Partnership with the Majid Al Futtaim Group, which has been partnering Carrefour in more than 25 countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. This first store
The Tribunal has approved two large merger transactions through which RCS Cards (Pty) Ltd – an unsecured credit lending provider – will acquire a portion of Edcon Limited’s book debt owned by Edcon (first transaction) and book debt owned by ABSA Bank Limited (second transaction). Edcon CEO, Grant Pattison, submitted to the Tribunal that Edcon
Lessons to be learned from top SA-csi performers 2020 looks set to be an epic fight for survival as numerous socio-economic factors come into play that will further challenge businesses and their ability to achieve greater levels of customer satisfaction in a bid to retain and grow their customer base – from a looming recession,
Founded in 2011 following the Tunisian uprising, LYOUM has been a forefront player on the Mediterranean apparel and design market Hazem Ben-Gacem invests half a million euros in Tunisian fashion brand; LYOUM set to accelerate its international expansion plans Tunisian fashion brand LYOUM (LYOUM.fr/en/) is eyeing new product ranges and expansion in international markets after
In September 2014, whilst conducting a research exercise, the National Credit Regulator (NCR) identified deficiencies in Shoprite Investments Limited’s (Shoprite) (NCRCP6050) affordability assessment processes and established that Shoprite was likely granting credit recklessly to some consumers, says Nomsa Motshegare, CEO of the NCR. As a result, the NCR initiated a full investigation into Shoprite’s affordability
Today’s consumers increasingly prioritize convenience when it comes to purchases, and expect retailers to continue to offer innovative ways to save them time and effort, according to the latest issue of the Consumer View report released by the National Retail Federation. “Time is a precious commodity for today’s consumers,” NRF Vice President for Research Development
Nutanix, a leader in enterprise cloud computing, has announced the retail industry findings of its second Enterprise Cloud Index Report, measuring retailers’ plans for adopting private, hybrid and public clouds. The report found the vast majority of retailers (87.5%) identified hybrid cloud as the ideal IT operating model. It also showed many retailers (72%) are
Ingenico Group is introducing its iCON case for a more versatile, compact solution for mobile checkout next week at NRF’s Retail Big Show. Retailers, restaurants, hotels and many other merchants of all sizes stand to benefit from rethinking their checkout experience with mobility in mind. The iCON case pairs Ingenico mobile payment devices with iOS
Having taken over the role of Massmart CEO on September 1st, Walmart appointee, Mitchell Slape has shared some of the insights he has gathered during his first 100 days at the South African retailer. The timing of his appointment necessitated a “hit the ground running” approach as it coincided with final preparations for Black Friday
MediRite, the chain of pharmacies located inside Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets, is piloting its first Smart Clinic. It aims to make healthcare more accessible and affordable by leveraging technological advancements in the medical industry. The new Smart Clinic, conveniently located inside the Checkers Hyper Parow in Parow Centre in the Western Cape, is able to
The 2ndannual Digital Retail Forumis set to take place on the 29thof January 2020, at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg. The forum is hosted by IT News Africa, under the theme; Digital Disruption in Retail: Apocalypse or Revolution. Following a successful 2019 event, #DigitalRetailForum will bring together over 200 local and international retail industry leaders to
Partnership advances growth of digital payments in the Middle East Launched services in Oman and Bahrain with four financial institutions onboard in 9 months FSS (Financial Software and Systems), a global payments products and solutions provider and payment processor, and Arab Financial Services (AFS), the leading payment solutions provider and FinTech enabler in the Middle
Until recently, only larger retailers could sell consumers airtime, data and prepaid utility services digitally. Now small business owners across South Africa have been empowered to start selling these products without any cash outlay. Those that have adopted, are seeing a sharp increase in foot traffic and sales. Leading fintech, iKhokha, which provides mobile payments
SPAR in Botswana has undertaken a variety of initiatives during the course of this year, responding to community needs highlighted by shoppers to the retailer. Support has been given in the form of volunteer work, materials or funding to people in need, ranging from smaller projects through to larger-scale initiatives. Focus on school needs Wheelchairs
Accenture is partnering with Edcon, one of southern Africa’s largest non-food retailers, to redefine and reshape their relationship to contribute to Edcon’s renewal and growth strategy. This reflects the firm’s ambition to work with local businesses to unlock South Africa’s economic growth. Edcon embarked on the recapitalisation of its business in March this year. “We
Economy and job security biggest concerns but small improvements in spare cash and spending intentions South Africa’s latest Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for the third quarter of 2019 showed a five point decrease to 88, presenting a less positive quarter on quarter picture for consumer sentiment in South Africa. Nielsen South Africa Connect MD Kerith
By Gareth Hawkey, Group CEO redPanda Software As the year comes to an end, it is clear that the role and function of brick and mortar stores has fundamentally changed. Increasingly, physical stores have to become a seamless extension of an overall customer experience that blends the best of the online and offline worlds. Indeed,
Impressive features available in Makro’s chat offering include tracking orders, viewing current catalogues, accessing a digital store card, locating nearby stores Makro has announced that shoppers at its 22 South African outlets and busy online store will now experience instant customer care and service by directly connecting with the retailer on WhatsApp. Impressive features available
Checkers has launched its exclusive on-demand one-hour grocery delivery service named Sixty60. It is South Africa’s first 60-minute grocery delivery service from a supermarket chain, as Checkers relentlessly innovates to respond to customers’ demands for hyper-convenience. The mobile app delivers groceries and drinks at the touch of a button and offers the same value for
H. E. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma, and Alibaba Group Director and Ant Financial Services Group Chairman and CEO Eric Jing witnessed the signing of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between the Ethiopian Government and Alibaba establishing an eWTP Hub in Ethiopia. The eWTP (electronic world trade platform) Hub is
Mr Price has released its interim results for the 26 weeks ended 28 September 2019. Normalised diluted headline earnings per share (based on the previous IAS 17 basis for accounting for leases) declined 7.2% to 447.5c. After accounting for leases on the new IFRS 16 basis, which did not require a restatement of comparative results,
Checkers has opened the doors to its state-of-the-art 2 330 m² flagship supermarket at the Constantia Emporium as the retailer continues to take innovation to new heights. The new world-class store offers customers unique experiences including: Freshly-made artisanal breads and pastries and a sophisticated range of confectioneries and luxury cakes; A coffee bar with an
Jumia is on a mission to provide Africa’s most trusted and essential digital infrastructure to ensure business owners meet the needs of their local and international consumers. As the Company continues its investment and innovation in its African operations, it continues to review its path to success to ensure the Company achieves this mission. The
In the financial year ended 30th September 2019, the group reported an increase in turnover of 8.4% to ZAR109.5 billion, despite all markets in which they trade experiencing some challenges. The SPAR Group Ltd turnover includes SPAR Southern Africa, SPAR Ireland and SPAR Switzerland. SPAR South Africa grew wholesale grocery turnover to the retail stores
Visiting Nigeria and South Africa, Quincey met with business and political leaders as the company scales up investments and looks forward to continued growth on the continent. The Global CEO and Chairman of The Coca-Cola Company, James Quincey culminated a tour of Africa last week. Accompanied by his extended leadership team, the visit was a
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning is on the rise but it’s important to know which reputation management processes should and shouldn’t be automated. AI, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) models, allows computers to understand and decipher what a human is saying. This is starting to be used by companies in South
Vivo Energy Kenya, the company that distributes and markets Shell-branded fuels and lubricants in the country, is on a growth path. The company has responded to motorists’ need for fuel convenience and has added 23 Shell service stations to its retail network. The new service stations, are located in eleven counties, namely: Laikipia, Kiambu, Nairobi,
The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) co-chair Gareth Ackerman says South Africa has reached a tipping point which now needs everyone to roll up their sleeves to work together to grow the country, its people and the economy. In a statement at the annual CGCSA Summit in Johannesburg, Ackerman cited regulatory uncertainty, policy
Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and operator of the Carrefour brand in Egypt, today signed an agreement with Jumia, Africa’s largest eCommerce platform, to extend its seamless online offering across Egypt. Through this partnership, Carrefour is taking its commitment to customer
Tiger Brands scooped five prestigious awards at last week’s Gold Pack Awards and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) South Africa’s Smarties Awards for 2019. Tinkies were the big Tiger winners as they came back with three awards at the MMA’s winning all the categories they had entered. Tinkies won a Gold medal for Cross Mobile
A new study from Juniper Research has found that global spending on digital commerce will reach $18.7 trillion by 2024, up from $11.2 trillion in 2019; an increase of 66% over the 5-year period. The new research, Digital Commerce: Key Trends, Sectors & Forecasts 2019-2024, found the largest single digital commerce sector is the remote purchase
The Shoprite Group’s most effective, innovative and reliable suppliers were rewarded at its 2019 Supplier Awards this past weekend. Pieter Engelbrecht, CEO of Africa’s largest food retailer, said the integrity and efficiency of the Group’s supply chain is key to its business success. It works with 19 398 suppliers across 15 African countries and 13
Vivo Energy Uganda has today announced the addition of 16 new Shell service stations, expanding the Shell network countrywide and bringing the total number of service stations in Uganda to 152. The expansion is part of the company’s strategy to make Shell fuels, lubricants and services more accessible and deliver ultra-convenience to motorists and shoppers
Digital freight forwarder Saloodo! today launched its digital logistics platform for shippers and transport providers in South Africa First international digital road freight platform to be launched in the continent; Provides shippers and carriers a one-stop platform for road freight connections for domestic shipments within South Africa and international movements to several neighbouring countries; Further
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