Ecodi Ghana, SPAR’s Partner in Ghana, is donating food and non-food items through the Food for All Ghana Food Bank to feed vulnerable families and community charities across the country. At an official MOA signing ceremony on Friday 14 August, João Rente Correia, General Manager of Ecodi Ghana, expressed the brand’s commitment towards ensuring shared value
Behind every product we see on a store shelf there is a team of retail workers who got it there. From buyers, warehouse workers and drivers, to the merchandisers, packers, cashiers, and other crucial store operations staff. Retail workers play a key role in ensuring that we are able to access the products we need
SPAR International is delighted to announce that Captain Raymond Mashudu Mutangwa, store manager of SPAR Thohoyandou in South Africa, has won the prestigious International Store Manager Award run by the US-based Food Marketing Institute (FMI). The Award winners were announced at the FMI Future Leaders event per official press release. The FMI award celebrates outstanding
South Africa’s leading health and beauty retailer has scooped the title of Coolest Specialist Health, Beauty and Accessory store in the 2020 Sunday Times Gen Next Awards. “We feel incredibly honoured to have been chosen as the coolest health and beauty store in South Africa and extend our heartfelt thanks to our Clicks community for their ongoing
Africa’s leading retailer of home improvement and building material products and service solutions, Builders, is set to open its doors and launch online trading to residents of Nairobi at the Waterfront Karen on 20 August 2020. Slightly delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions, this is the retailer’s first venture into East Africa and one that will
SMEs can accept touchless payments from their smartphones at no additional hardware costs Game changing solution allows small and micro merchants to enter omni-channel commerce space Mastercard has launched a new low-cost payments solution that enables small business owners to move their businesses online and accept a range of digital payments from their customers. The
Bidvest Waltons and Karri, powered by Nedbank, are proud to announce their partnership to ensure a safe, simple and convenient Back To School experience for South Africa’s Learners, Parents and Teachers. Almost 30 years ago – Bidvest Waltons established the Back To School Stationery sales solution in which they partnered with schools to give parents
Africa’s leading money transfer and remittances provider Mukuru is launching a shopping discount initiative in which every SA-based Mukuru customer sending money home will gain access to R500 in grocery discounts. The discounts will be available on over 60 staple products (such as canned items, household cleaning products, maize meal, baby products, dairy products, etc.),
South Africans have had to adjust their promotion obsessed purchasing habits during the COVID-19 lockdown, with R14-Billion fewer goods being sold on promotion during April & May 2020 compared to the same time last year. The significance of this is evident, considering the fact that Nielsen research in 2019 found that South Africa was the
The Shoprite Group’s Portfolio Management Office (PMO) gained international recognition recently when it won the 2020 PMO of the Year Award in Africa. They have also reached the finalist stage in the coveted World PMO of the Year Award, competing against corporates from Honduras (Americas), Ukraine (Europe) and the United Arab Emirates (Asia-Pacific). This latest
As of 13 May, every country on the African continent had recorded a confirmed case of infection with the coronavirus. The resulting strict lockdown measures and social distancing precautions necessary to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic have had a profound impact on many African markets in which SPAR operates. During times of crisis,
As businesses emerge from the sombre trenches of the past few months, eyes are on those who offer financially stressed consumers a silver lining and according to franchisee Rudolph van Zyl, Cash Crusaders is one of them. “Cash Crusaders stores will be able to meet an immediate post lockdown need,” says Rudolph, “and not only
The Edcon Business Rescue Practitioners are pleased to announce that it has accepted a conditional offer in terms of which the practitioners have agreed to enter into discussions with the Foschini Group Ltd for the sale of parts of the Jet business. TFG is home to a comprehensive portfolio of 29 retail brands that trade
Ongoing innovation in PnP stores to make banking more accessible and convenient for all customers Customers can now make cash deposits directly into their own bank account at any Pick n Pay till point, anywhere in South Africa. Deposits at till points is another first for the retailer as they increasingly become a one-stop-shop where
Dis-Chem notes with disappointment the Competition Tribunal’s decision in which it found that Dis-Chem had engaged in excessive pricing of surgical masks and imposed an administrative penalty of R1 200 000 (one million and two hundred thousand rand). Dis-Chem Pharmacies CEO Ivan Saltzman said that Dis-Chem will take the matter on appeal to the Competition
The Competition Tribunal (the Tribunal) has found Dis-Chem Pharmacies Limited (Dis-Chem) guilty of charging excessive prices for surgical face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Tribunal has also ordered that Dis-Chem is liable to pay an administrative penalty (a fine) of R1 200 000 (one million two hundred thousand rand). In its order and reasons,
By: Leon Coetzer, Managing Director UK of redPanda Software Retail sector investment into mobile apps and platforms has been accelerated by the global pandemic. There can be no doubt that the next era of retail success will be defined by the friction-free, or ultra-convenient, shopping experience. This will hold true for both the online and
Children are the future and education is their best way forward; because of this, SPAR Botswana is supporting schools and children in need. During the recent lockdown, SPAR Botswana provided funding for a range of education related initiatives. Schools and orphans supported The daughter of a supermarket manager of SPAR Acacia in Gaborone initiated a
SPAR Zimbabwe has contracted community development groups to make reusable, washable face masks. Working from home, the women of these community projects produced 1,000 masks, which were then distributed to people in need in Mbare, Chtinugwiza, and Mabvuku. This community outreach not only benefited the health and safety of shoppers and store team members but
The Edcon Business Rescue Practitioners today announce the signing of a “Heads of Agreement” to sell parts of Edgars to Retailability (Pty) Ltd. Retailability is a fashion retailer and the holding company of store brands including Legit, Beaver Canoe and Style, operating in over 460 stores across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and eSwatini. The
Since Game’s inception in 1970, South Africa’s retail industry has continued to evolve – and retailers have had to do the same to remain relevant. “When Game entered the market, South Africa’s retail environment was already well-developed. Our founders had a mission to make shopping fun and exciting – essentially to make it a game.
Covid-19 and the pandemic’s subsequent lockdowns forced the Shoprite Group, with more than 147 000 employees, to implement a work from home environment almost overnight, rapidly facilitating thousands of virtual meetings per day in order to keep operations running smoothly. As Africa’s largest food retailer, many of the Group’s employees continued to report to work
ImStaying NPC together with PEP Stores launches the Lay-By Buddy Initiative to help customers pay off their Lay-By. “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” – Margaret Mead. South African clothing retail giant PEP, together with the nation’s biggest good news provider #ImStaying, are
In a move designed to support local manufacturing and small enterprises, Dis-Chem Pharmacies has partnered with corporate clothing group Worksgroup to outsource the production of its staff uniforms via a small manufacturing incubator in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Worksgroup has established incubator groups at its Durban manufacturing plant which sees small pods manufacturing goods for Worksgroup’s customers.
Spur Corporation welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on 17 June 2020 to open trading for sit-down restaurants. The restaurant industry has been hit hard by the national lockdown and the return to business will enable thousands of people to earn a living and support their families. “We’re pleased with the announcement as the coronavirus pandemic
The appointed Business Rescue Practitioners (BRP’s), Messrs. Piers Marsden and Lance Schapiro, published the Edcon Business Rescue Plan (“the Plan”) on the 8th of June 2020, after meetings and consultation with the Creditors, Landlord and Employees Committees, and communication with SACCAWU. The Plan has been prepared on an “accelerated sales process” basis, as interest to
The world’s largest food retail voluntary chain, SPAR International, has reported sales of €37.1 billion for the year ending 31 December 2019, representing a 4.35% increase in revenue on a constant currency basis. At the end of the year there were 13,320 SPAR branded stores operating across 48 markets worldwide in four continents, an increase
The V&A Waterfront is partnering with one of South Africa’s leading Click and Collect service providers, to offer an alternative for shoppers who want to avoid possible exposure to COVID-19 by queuing in shops, but who still want to collect their own goods. The new Click and Collect Drive Through service will allow customers to
Retail employees, who prior to the health pandemic were assets to the business, have become invaluable as they continued to serve customers throughout lockdown while most people stayed home. To thank them for their service and heroism, FreshStop, the largest and fastest-growing convenience store retail brand in South Africa, launched a #ThankYoufromFreshStop digital campaign to
Vivo Energy Uganda, the distributor and marketer of Shell branded fuels and lubricants in Uganda has embarked on a deep cleaning and sanitizing exercise at its Shell service stations countrywide in preparation for the resumption of vehicular traffic on the roads and consequently, the increased demand for fuel and complementary non fuel related services. The
British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) is (May 29, 2020) commencing urgent legal proceedings to challenge the government’s decision to extend the ban on tobacco sales during Level 3 of the COVID-19 Risk Adjusted Strategy. BATSA is supported in this action by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) as well as groups and organisations representing the tobacco
Pick n Pay has published its annual results for the year ended 1 March 2020. The Group delivered turnover growth of 4.7% in a tough trading environment. The Group’s South African operations delivered turnover growth of 5.1% against a strong prior year base, reflecting operational challenges in the second half of the year including the
A number of innovative new online services recently launched by the Shoprite Group have been making life a whole lot easier. And the good news is, they’re here to stay – even beyond the national lockdown. Virtual Vouchers South Africans who wish to reach out and help those in need can now purchase a virtual grocery
New e-commerce store provides free website with integrated digital payments African digital payments company, DPO Group, has launched an e-commerce store. Powered by Mastercard’s payments gateway technology, the platform will enable merchants across Africa to swiftly move their businesses online and continue to trade with their customers. The end to end e-commerce solution, called
South Africans who want to reach out and help fellow citizens who are economically destitute, in a time where physical contact is severely restricted due to the lockdown, can now buy virtual vouchers via an electronic funds transfer (EFT). The EFT functionality adds to the convenience of buying virtual vouchers, which were recently introduced and
Zambeef’s Zamshu shoe division is using its stitching expertise to make thousands of face masks to help protect people from the COVID-19 disease. The company has bought more than K100,000 of fabric and is aiming to make 25,000 protective masks over the next eight weeks. “COVID-19 has affected all sectors of our society; businesses, institutions
Customers can download the Mr D Food app, phone their MediRite pharmacy, place an order and pay for it via EFT or medical aid. MediRite will process the order and customers can then order their delivery on the app to receive their medicine at home. The initiative will be rolled out initially across 55 of the
In keeping with its famous motto, Zambeef has vowed to continue feeding the nation, despite the Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) outbreak. The country’s largest food producer and retailer continues to stand true to its mission despite the COVID-19 pandemic that is adversely impacting the manufacturing sector in Zambia and beyond. The viral disease is threatening the
SPAR’s core values incorporate family, community, and the ability to inspire people to do and be more. Here, we share just three examples of community support in South Africa given by independent SPAR retailers in response to challenging circumstances of the national lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Support for orphaned children in
SPAR Nigeria operates 14 hypermarkets in several major cities around the country. A government lock down from 3rd April in response to the corona virus COVID-19 outbreak, led to them changing their store opening hours and introduce online ordering for home delivery. Having seen that shoppers were purchasing larger volumes than normal of many products,
As Dis-Chem Pharmacies are part of the essential services available to South Africans during the lockdown period, its employees are placed under additional pressure to ensure that shelves remain fully stocked and that its stores and staff uphold stringent health and hygiene measures. To strengthen current health and safety measures, all employees are being offered
Massmart announces a price freeze in all our Makro, Cambridge Food, Game and Cash & Carry stores for the duration of the 21-day nationwide lockdown. This will involve suspending price adjustments that were scheduled, as part of the normal course of business, before the lockdown was announced. Fresh produce, which is procured daily from fresh
RFG increased turnover by 7.6% for the five months to February 2020 as the group’s regional business lifted sales by 9.3% while international turnover declined by 1.7% owing to a marked slowdown in exports to China following the outbreak of COVID-19. Regional fresh foods turnover increased by 15.9% for the five months, with the performance
In response to government’s call on citizens to refrain from excessive purchasing and stockpiling goods as it intensifies its efforts to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19), Dis-Chem Pharmacies has advised that it will be limiting the number of items consumers can purchase. With immediate effect, shoppers will be able to purchase a maximum of six units
“Feeling the Pinch? Buy a Business” is possibly one of the most juxtaposing statements off the back of a dismal 2019 GDP performance, the Rand’s current position, consistent rolling blackouts and now, coronavirus having hit South African shores. Yet, when asked to repeat himself, Sean Stegmann – CEO of SA’s largest second-hand retailer, Cash Crusaders
The Shoprite Group is committed to adhere to the strict measures put in place by the South African government following President Cyril Rhamaphosa’s announcement of a National state of Disaster, and are following any directives to stay abreast of information and required actions to be taken in relation to the effect of Covid-19 on its
Rhodes Food Group is the second local supplier on Massmart’s new export programme to get listed with Walmart US. The South African based canned food company will be supplying Walmart US with an initial order of three canned pear variations. These include premium export quality 425 gram cans of pear slices in heavy syrup, 425gram
The Shoprite Group will be the first supermarket retailer to offer an OUTbonus, following a partnership between Africa’s largest food retailer and OUTsurance, to bring consumers more accessible and affordable insurance products. A very competitively-priced funeral policy is the first product to launch under this new partnership, with numerous additional offerings in the pipeline. The
The unexpected dip into technical recession in the last quarter of 2019 is anything but unexpected for South Africa’s beleaguered retail sector. Research conducted by customer experience specialists nlighten, shows that retailers have been hard hit by Eskom’s ongoing loadshedding that has disrupted their daily operations. “Retailers and the hospitality industry report a direct impact
In a first for Shoprite Botswana, local producers sold their produce directly to the public at selected Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets in the country. Dubbed Market Day and held on 29 February, this initiative saw eight (8) farmers, who already supply to the retail group, being hosted at Shoprite Gaborone, Shoprite Kgale Hill and Checkers
