Driven by digital technologies and changing consumer habits, delivery platforms across online food, grocery, and etail are growing steadily. From a new dress or a secondhand bike to a Margherita pizza or bottle of shampoo, the packaging is a critical element of the success of any delivery. With the sector’s growth, the need for more
Exploring innovation coupled with cutting-edge tech is on the up as brands and retailers consider what, when and how to ride the new wave of consumerism in Africa. With the future of digital retail in Africa an exciting and ever-changing landscape. Africa Overview Customer expectations are forcing retailers to reassess the service they provide, not
Shoprite is pleased to advise shareholders that its ordinary shares will be traded on A2X with effect from Tuesday 11 April 2023 (the “A2X listing date). Shoprite will retain its listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) and Lusaka Securities Exchange (LUSE) and its issued share capital will be unaffected
“It is time for Africa. It is time for Africa to harness its people, its resources, and its resilience for the betterment of all. It is time for large corporates and public sector entities to open up their supply chains for the betterment of local businesses. It is time for financial institutions to support this
Pick n Pay Clothing becomes the first clothing retailer recognised by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) for its sustainable approach to refurbishing the interiors of its growing store network. The Pick n Pay Clothing store in Blue Route Mall, Cape Town, was awarded a 4 Star Green Star Interiors v1 rating, which indicates
During its formative years, blockchain technology became synonymous with the advent of cryptocurrency. Today, its use cases have transcended the world of finance, expanding into sectors such as retail. In Africa, its application in payment technology has demonstrated blockchain’s ability to revolutionise several touchpoints from supply chain to final sale. These developments herald good news
Jumia Kenya consumers will now receive their online orders in their original packaging from the manufacturer without any extra wrap from Jumia. This follows the company’s recent announcement, which aligns with its ESG strategy aimed at environmentally friendly activities in the countries it operates in. “In line with our sustainability agenda, we will continue cutting
Musina Mall, the dominant shopping centre in Limpopo’s heritage-rich town of Musina, is notching up excellent performance and continues to increase its trading metrics, shopper appeal and convenience. Despite the background of the prevailing tough times in South Africa, Musina Mall continues to show significant growth. The mall’s total turnover grew a whopping 34% in
The Shoprite Group has launched UNIQ, its new clothing brand fashioned on simplicity, comfort, superior fabrics and value. The first standalone UNIQ store opened in Cape Town’s Canal Walk shopping centre with another eight stores scheduled to open in the next month. Catering for the entire family, the UNIQ range consists of premium basics in a variety
e-Commerce is one of the fastest evolving industries in the world. The growth has been unprecedented, and in Africa the appetite for online business and retailing is higher than ever. In 2021, retail e-commerce sales amounted to approximately 5.2 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide. This figure is forecast to grow by 56% over the next few
By Gavin Lomberg, Chief Commercial Officer, RCS South Africa’s retail sector was undoubtedly one of the hardest hit by the onset of COVID-19. Lockdown regulations, reduced trading hours and the sudden, unexpected limitation of face-to-face contact required retailers to rethink the rules, in unprecedented circumstances. The industry saw retailers entering new product territories, pivoting their
Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics, has identified for the first time the drivers of brand lift on emerging media, illuminating common factors that drive campaign performance. While a body of research exists on brand lift drivers for traditional media such as TV, Nielsen’s new research uncovers where advertisers can focus
Checkers Sixty60 will now give customers their delivery for free if an order arrives more than 30 minutes after the estimated time of arrival. Delivery will also be free if an order contains fewer than 80% of a customer’s first-choice products. This Service Guarantee is a first in the South African on-demand grocery delivery space. “Sixty60 is
In the past four years, the retailer has reduced the volume of food waste in its operations by nearly 30% (28%) as it works towards its target of 50% by 2030. It has also successfully donated over 880 tonnes of edible surplus food to FoodForward SA, valued at over R35 million. Pick n Pay is
Shoprite Holdings Limited has been approved for a secondary listing on A2X Markets. Its shares will be available for trade on A2X from Tuesday, 11 April 2023. The Shoprite Group is the largest South African retailer by market capitalisation, sales, profit and number of employees and customers. Its core business is food retailing, complemented by
From improved team efficiency to greater sales success, an integrated telephony system can help boost your company’s success. However, choosing the right partner to oversee the integration process is essential to avoid frustrations and to ensure that productivity is not negatively impacted. “Successful integration requires a unique skill set as well as technical expertise that
Key facts: Emerging trend: Account-to-account payments continued to gain momentum in 2022 to account for US$525 billion in global e-commerce transaction value. Global forecast: Global e-commerce market is set to be worth nearly US$8.5 trillion in 2026. Shift in balance of U.S. payments: For the first time, digital wallets surpassed credit cards to become the leading payment method
RFG is accelerating its renewable energy infrastructure programme in response to load shedding, with solar installations planned for a further seven manufacturing facilities over the next two years. Solar energy has already been installed at the group’s fruit juice plant in Wellington and vegetable products factory in Limpopo. The first of the seven new installations
The Shoprite Group is increasing the availability of clean drinking water in rural communities by expanding its support of PlayPumps to 50 sites across South Africa benefitting more than 18 000 people. PlayPumps are “merry-go-rounds” that pump water from boreholes into reservoirs as children play on them, providing a reliable source of clean drinking water
KFC Africa proudly appoints first black female GM KFC (www.global.KFC.com) today announced the appointment of its very first black female General Manager for Africa – Akhona Qengqe – who will step into this role on 01 April 2023. She will replace outgoing GM – Dhruv Kaul, who is moving into a GM role for KFC
In an ongoing programme of retail experience transformation, SPAR Zimbabwe invested in another of their core stores. The renovation was completed in just four weeks and has increased the area dedicated to fresh and frozen foods as well as the food service offer. The SPAR Supermarket which reopened on 22 February is located in the
In a landmark collaborative initiative, Visa and Discovery Bank today announced their Spendtrend23 report, which is aimed at identifying and understanding shifts in consumer spending behaviour during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights include: South Africans’ spending via credit card has bounced back and is more than 20% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Spend on categories
Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce platform has partnered with Verve International to reward customers with free shopping vouchers. Tagged Season of Rewards, the campaign, which kicked off on March 1, 2023 will see shoppers receive free vouchers when they shop on Konga.com with their Verve cards. The partnership underpins the commitment of both brands to
By Sasha Ramjathan, Leader of the CPG Segment for Southern Africa at Schneider Electric The consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry stands to benefit greatly from digital innovation advancements. According to a paper entitled the next frontier in consumer goods: digitally enabled innovation by the strategy firm McKinsey & Company, digitisation can bring new products to market
“The future of retail is the ability to create a seamless shopping experience across online and offline” As online shopping continues to grow in the country, customers are spoilt for choice on how and where they shop. Trends show that many South Africans are increasingly choosing to shop both in-store and online, or often simultaneously,
The Competition Tribunal (“Tribunal”) has approved the international transaction between European brewer, Heineken, and South African alcohol producer, Distell, subject to competition and public interest-related conditions that enhance and tighten proposed remedies tendered by the merging parties, and recommended by the Competition Commission (“Commission”). In terms of the merger the Heineken Group, through Sunside Acquisitions
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Massmart has donated R1 million to the Female Academic Leaders Fellowship (FALF) NPC’s – Nonjulabuchopho Project, that researches Gender Based Violence and alcohol abuse. Massmart’s contribution will be used to support and develop talented female academics who are interested in researching Gender Based Violence and alcohol abuse. “Rates of
Unaudited results for the 26 weeks ended 1 January 2023 DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH SEES HALF-YEAR SALES EXCEEDING R100 BILLION Key information – continuing operations Group sale of merchandise increased by 16.8% to R106.3 billion Supermarkets RSA sale of merchandise increased by 17.5% to R85.1 billion Diluted headline earnings per share (DHEPS) increased by 10.2% to
Admittedly seeing another loadshedding article can mean lights out for many – turn the page – next, as the hum of generators trigger a fragile sense of ‘normality’ when all we want is power plays, not dark delays. Despite the severity of the current status quo, humour typically prevails– “imagine what they’re going to say
Sustainability has become a top priority for many industries and the South African hospitality industry is no exception. The increasing demand for eco-friendly and socially responsible tourism has led to sustainable food trends in hotels, resorts and restaurants. This is the opinion of Etresia Booysen, a senior lecturer at the IIE’s School of Hospitality &
Today, Danone Southern Africa announced that they have appointed marketing expert, Thandeka Ngqumeya, to join their team as Marketing Director for Southern Africa. Thandeka has a strong track record in growing successful global brands on the local stage having worked previously for brands such as Kimberley Clark, L’Oreal, and for the past 10 years at
Every successful retailer knows that to nurture customer loyalty and establish a strong brand, you have got to perfect four key considerations: product, price, place, and promotion. First introduced in the 1950s, these are old principles, but they remain essential in understanding the foundations of the retail industry. However, in the South African market, where
Unaudited results for the 26 weeks ended 1 January 2023 DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH SEES HALF YEAR SALES EXCEEDING R100 BILLION Key information – continuing operations Group sale of merchandise increased by 16.8% to R106.3 billion Supermarkets RSA sale of merchandise increased by 17.5% to R85.1 billion Diluted headline earnings per share (DHEPS) increased by 10.2%
SPAR Zimbabwe planted 10,000 trees on 3 December 2022 and is sowing the seeds for 20,000 more in 2023. Through this initiative, the retailer was the country’s largest non-commercial planter of trees this planting season. This number of trees planted was also a boost for SPAR International’s campaign for tree planting, which began in 2022.
A newly released study revealed that South Africans’ online spending patterns and behaviour continued to grow at a rapid pace in 2022. This is despite the country’s ongoing recovery from lockdown restrictions and social distancing. The comprehensive results of the Online Retail in South Africa 2022 study, released today by World Wide Worx with Mastercard,
The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has welcomed the National Budget presented on 22 February by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Enoch Gondongwana which had some positive announcements which will benefit the consumer goods sector in particular and the economy in general. The announcements also showed that the government was beginning to listen
The SPAR Brand has entered the Angolan retail market, opening nine SPAR Express convenience stores during the past twelve months. The license to operate the SPAR brand in Angola was granted to a well-established local retail and distribution company, United Investimentos. Adapting international best practices from the SPAR network to suit local market needs has
Smaller manufacturers may benefit due to agility & smaller overheads to fill local supply gaps Staples come out tops as consumers seek long-lasting product offerings 40% fewer shopping trips per month compared to two years ago COVID-19 trends of homebound economy and fewer trips to stores continue OVERVIEW – The current power crisis is creating
Spur Corporation continued its post Covid-19 recovery to produce a strong trading performance for the six months to December 2022 as revenue increased by 35.0% to R1.5 billion and group profit before tax by 103.0% to R168 million. Revenue growth was driven by the 31.5% increase in franchised restaurant sales, higher sales in the retail
For the love of the environment: Pick n Pay on track to achieving 2025 plastic waste reduction targets Pick n Pay has removed all plastic barrier bags from its till points – a first in South Africa that will prevent over 20 million of these small bags from entering the environment. Barrier bags are traditionally
SPAR Namibia is proud to announce its partnership with the Namibian Ice & Inline Hockey Association (NIIHA) for the next three years. SPAR Namibia will ensure that all training camps, team wear, entry and coaching fees, as well as travel costs of the teams’ coaches and managers relating to the national teams, will be covered.
With recent research showing that only 14% of South African consumers are ready to go completely cashless, retailers should be looking at ways to accommodate their customers’ preferred way to pay, while also reducing their operating costs. Leading retailers are looking towards automating the handling and management of cash, so that they can meet this objective. The
Bolt, the leading mobility app in Africa, has announced plans to invest €500 million in its operations on the continent over the next two years. The funds will be used to expand Bolt services in Africa and create opportunities for over 300,000 new drivers and couriers to join the platform in 2023. Having launched in
UK-headquartered global technology firm, RedCloud Technology, is proud to announce the appointment of Sameer Jooma as the General Manager for South Africa. Sameer, who has a wealth of experience in ecosystem development, will be responsible for accelerating the adoption of the world’s first Open Commerce platform, Red101, and driving growth in the Southern Africa region. An
Standard Bank is pleased to announce that it advised Vivo Energy on its combination with Engen to create one of Africa’s largest energy distribution companies. The combined group will have over 3,900 service stations and more than two billion litres of storage capacity across 27 African countries. Engen is the clear market leader in South
43% of surveyed consumers already feel like they are living in a recession. 74% say that increased costs of living are to blame for their recent financial struggles. 48% mention they only have enough money for food, shelter, and the basics. 32% have turned to online to get better deals, save on gas and minimize
Oracle and Uber Technologies, Inc., has announced a seven-year strategic cloud partnership to accelerate Uber’s innovation, help deliver new products to market, and drive increased profitability. As Uber continues to grow and enter new markets, it is increasingly important for the business to focus resources on its core strengths and strategic initiatives. By migrating some
Vukile’s South African and Spanish retail property portfolios delivered strong sales performances in November and December 2022, with excellent Black Friday and festive season trading growth, despite worsening load shedding and water security challenges in South Africa. Vukile is a specialist retail REIT that holds a defensive portfolio of property assets of which 44% are
The increased flow of shoppers to in-store pickup points is breathing new life into traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. The numbers don’t lie It doesn’t seem that long ago that customers saw online and in-store as two separate shopping experiences. You were either in the online camp or a brick-and-mortar die-hard, and never the twain shall meet.
Retail chains across the country scrambled to upgrade existing platforms or create online stores to ensure they could continue operating during the hard lockdown in 2020. During this period online shopping experienced unprecedented growth, irrevocably changing shopping behaviour. Many small businesses did not survive the lockdowns. A study by FinFind and the Department of Small
