Latest news with #Shoprite
The South African
3 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Braai on a budget: How inflation is turning up the heat on your weekend plans
With headline consumer price inflation rising slightly to 2.8% in April, up from 2.7% in March, South Africans are feeling the pinch, even at the braai stand. Whether you're grilling in your backyard or hosting friends indoors, every cent counts when stocking up on your favourite braai essentials. To help you stretch your rand further, The South African compared the prices of key braai items at Checkers, Shoprite, Pick n Pay, and Woolworths, so you can enjoy the braai without burning your wallet. When it comes to braai supplies, Shoprite stands out as the most wallet-friendly choice. Woolworths, unsurprisingly, tops the price range, while Pick n Pay and Checkers offer competitive pricing on a few key items. Product Checkers Shoprite Pick n Pay Woolworths Traditional Boerewors (per kg) R99.99 R89.99 R114.99 R179.99 Lamb Braai Chops (per kg) R143.99 R162.99 R184.99 R229.00 250g Garlic Bread R44.99 R19.99 R40.99 R59.99 4kg Charcoal R79.99 R79.99 R69.99 R104.99 Baked Beans (can) R17.99 R17.99 R16.99 R25.99 Firelighters R39.99 R29.99 R37.99 R29.99 KWV Five-Year-Old Brandy (750ml) R229.99 R229.99 R229.99 R229.99 Savanna Light Cider (6x330ml) R124.99 R119.99 R124.99 R124.99 Castle Lite Bottles (6x330ml) R94.99 R94.99 R94.99 R89.99 Coca-Cola No Sugar (1.5L) R15.99 R15.99 R21.99 R18.00 Total Cost R893.90 R861.90 R937.90 R1 092.92 *Please note prices are subject to change and were accurate at the time of publishing If you're looking to save the most money, Shoprite comes out on top with a total of R861.90 for all the listed braai essentials. Checkers follows closely behind at R893.90, while Pick n Pay is slightly higher at R937.90. Woolworths is the most expensive at R1 092.92. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
3 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Payday grocery deals: Who has the cheapest prices this weekend in South Africa?
As South Africans head into month-end with replenished wallets, the pressure is on to stretch those earnings at the till. With the cost of living still climbing, shoppers are hunting for the best bargains to fill their trolleys without breaking the bank. This week, we compared 16 everyday grocery items at Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, and Woolworths to find out where you can get the most value for your money. Pick n Pay stands out as the most affordable supermarket for essential groceries, offering some relief for budget-conscious shoppers. Here's how the total cost of the basket stacks up this week: Checkers – R854.85 – R854.85 Pick n Pay – R864.84 – R864.84 Shoprite – R886.84 – R886.84 Woolworths – R911.84 Checkers comes out on top as the most affordable option, with a full basket costing R854.85. Pick n Pay follows at R864.84, while Shoprite and Woolworths are the most expensive options this week at R886.84 and R911.84 respectively. SASSA grant recipients can maximise their funds this month by taking advantage of special discounts and in-store promotions. We do not factor in discounts or card-holder specials in this comparison. When the exact name-brand items are not available, we use the nearest alternative house-brand. Due to fluctuations in prices both inland and at the coast in South Africa, the prices below are based on those payable in Gauteng. Product Checkers Shoprite Pick n Pay Woolworths 500g Fatti's & Moni's spaghetti R19.99 R19.99 R19.99 R22.99 400g smooth Black Cat peanut butter R54.99 R54.99 R49.99 R49.99 1kg Jungle Oats R44.99 R44.99 R54.99 R49.99 Joko Strong Quality Teabags 100 pack R66.99 R66.99 R66.99 R57.99 Albany Superior Sliced White Bread Loaf 700g R24.99 R19.99 R18.99 R20.99 Sunfoil Pure Sunflower Seed Oil 2L R64.99 R89.99 R69.99 R84.99 Iwisa Super Maize Meal Bag 2.5kg R39.99 R44.99 R41.99 R38.99 Selati Pure White Sugar Bag 2.5kg R56.99 R72.99 R72.99 R64.99 Clover Full Cream Fresh Milk 2L R32.99 R21.99 R32.99 R38.99 Tastic Long Grain Parboiled Rice 2kg R44.99 R46.99 R35.99 R46.99 Snowflake Cake Wheat Flour 2.5kg R42.99 R42.99 R41.99 R41.99 Dettol Original Bath Soap 175g R18.99 R18.99 R18.99 R18.99 Rama Original 70% Fat Spread 500g R36.99 R29.99 R36.99 R36.99 Nescafe Ricoffy Instant Coffee 750g R144.99 R164.99 R164.99 R168.99 Coca-Cola Original Less Sugar Bottle 2L R27.99 R27.99 R26.99 R27.99 Twinsaver Luxury Twin Ply Toilet Paper 9 Pack R69.99 R89.99 R79.99 R87.99 TOTAL R854.85 R886.84 R864.84 R911.84 *Please note the prices are subject to change and were accurate at the time of publishing. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Bitcoin nears R2m as crypto goes mainstream — but don't get too excited just yet
In case you missed it last week, bitcoin hit almost R2m. This wasn't just another crypto bro celebration moment either — it goes deeper. Bitcoin's breakthrough last week to past $111,000 (R1,966,480 for those keeping track) has been hailed as a genuine turning point for digital assets, coming at a time when traditional tech stocks were having what can only be described as a tantrum. 'Bitcoin hitting a new all-time high above $111,000 marks a major milestone for the crypto industry,' said Hannes Wessels, the general manager of Binance South Africa. 'It reflects growing global confidence in digital assets, driven by strong institutional demand and regulatory progress.' Translation for the rest of us: Big money is finally taking crypto seriously, and governments are starting to figure out how to regulate it without completely breaking it. When trading goes nuclear The bitcoin surge wasn't happening in isolation. On 19 May, crypto wallet platforms recorded the kind of trading volumes that would make the JSE weep with envy. Binance Wallet alone hit over $5-billion in daily trading — that's roughly R88-billion changing hands in a single day on one platform. To put it in perspective, that's more than the entire market capitalisation of Shoprite, and it happened in 24 hours on a platform most South Africans probably haven't heard of. This trading frenzy suggests something fundamental is shifting in how people interact with cryptocurrencies. Gone are the days when crypto was just about buying bitcoin and hoping for the best. Users are becoming more sophisticated, seeking out early opportunities and engaging with what the tech crowd calls 'Web3' — think of it as the internet's awkward teenage phase, where everything becomes decentralised and confusing. The early bird gets the (digital) worm Much of this activity revolves around platforms that let users get in on cryptocurrency projects before they hit the big exchanges. These early-access platforms have become incredibly popular by offering exclusive token generation events and airdrops. Since December 2024, Binance Alpha has featured 18 tokens that eventually got listed on major exchanges — a 43% success rate that would make any venture capitalist jealous. Here's where it gets interesting for regular investors: participants in these early events bought tokens at prices averaging eight times lower than their opening day values. That's the kind of return that makes property investment look like a savings account. But — and this is a big but — this is also where things get properly risky. Don't fall for the Fomo trap Before you start liquidating your unit trust to chase crypto dreams, let's talk reality. Getting early access to cryptocurrency projects is like being invited to a high-stakes poker game where half the players are card sharks and the other half are algorithms. Yes, the potential returns are eye-watering. But so are the risks: Regulatory roulette: Governments worldwide are still figuring out how to handle crypto. Rules can change overnight, potentially making your investment illegal or inaccessible. Hacker heaven: Crypto platforms are magnets for cybercriminals. When they succeed, your money disappears into the digital ether with zero chance of recovery. Volatility on steroids: Traditional shares can be volatile, but crypto makes the JSE look like a lazy Sunday afternoon. Prices can swing 50% in a day just because someone influential tweeted something. Liquidity nightmares: Sometimes you can't sell your tokens even if you want to, because there aren't enough buyers or the trading volumes are too low. Technical meltdowns: When platforms crash or have bugs, your investments can be stuck in digital limbo. When courts get crypto reality The legal system is slowly catching up with crypto reality, and the results are sobering for investors who think digital assets are a guaranteed path to riches. A recent UK Court of Appeal case involving Bitcoin SV investors provides a masterclass in crypto reality checks. These investors sued Binance and other exchanges for $13.4-billion (yes, billion), claiming that delisting their favourite token prevented it from becoming the next bitcoin. The court's response was, essentially, 'Nice try, but no.' The judges ruled that cryptocurrencies are 'by their nature, volatile investments' and should be treated like shares or other financial instruments. More importantly, they rejected the idea that investors could claim damages based on what their tokens might have been worth in some hypothetical future. As the court put it: 'It would be unthinkable for the holders of freely tradeable shares, whose value had been reduced by tortious conduct, to be able to claim more than the current value of those shares to compensate them for the prospect that their value might have substantially increased in the future.' This ruling could reshape how crypto disputes are handled globally, establishing that digital assets don't get special treatment just because they're digital. The regulatory maze Meanwhile, regulators worldwide are creating a patchwork of rules that would make a tax consultant weep. The European Union's new crypto regulations are so strict that Tether — the company behind the world's most popular stablecoin — simply refused to comply. This has led to major exchanges delisting USDT (a dollar-pegged cryptocurrency) for European users, creating a fragmented market where your access to certain digital assets depends entirely on your location. In Nigeria, tensions have escalated dramatically, with authorities seeking $79.5-billion from Binance in alleged damages, plus another $2-billion in back taxes. What this means for you For South African investors watching this unfold, the message is clear: crypto is maturing, but it's maturing into something complex and regulated, not the Wild West of easy money that early adopters experienced. The good news is that institutional money is flowing in, providing stability and legitimacy. The bad news is that with legitimacy comes regulation, compliance costs, and the kind of complexity that makes traditional investments look simple. Bitcoin's march toward R2-million represents genuine progress for digital assets, but it's progress that comes with grown-up responsibilities and grown-up risks. Keep it tidy The cryptocurrency market is undoubtedly entering a new phase of maturation, with unprecedented trading volumes, institutional adoption and regulatory clarity. But this maturation cuts both ways — while it brings legitimacy and stability, it also brings complexity and risk that many retail investors aren't prepared for. For South Africans considering crypto investments, the advice remains unchanged: only invest what you can afford to lose, understand the risks, and remember that past performance — even R2-million Bitcoin — is never a guarantee of future returns. DM
Daily Maverick
7 days ago
- Daily Maverick
From shoplifting to watered-down formula — desperate new moms and SA's malnutrition crisis
New mothers struggling to make ends meet dilute baby formula with water, and new moms are more likely to suffer from acute malnutrition than when they were pregnant, results from community outreach programmes show. In South Africa there aren't recent studies that show what is frequently shoplifted. It is assumed that alcohol, confectionary items, baby formula and food, nappies, baby clothes, meat, cheese and dairy products and toiletries are often stolen. Prices for baby formula have risen in recent years. It costs roughly R1,500 per month. The cheapest ends up being R890 (Infacare 1). This does not account for milk needed, Milton or Jik to clean bottles, bottles, cream, nappies, clothes and transport to the clinic. The large baby formula tins across all retailers have been observed to be under a 'lock', or shops keep the baby food products behind a counter. 'The security tag is designed specifically for cylindrical or tin-shaped items and acts as a deterrent by securing the product in a lockable casing. This casing can only be removed at till point using a detacher, much like conventional security tags used on clothing or electronics,' the Shoprite group told Daily Maverick. 'Security tags are typically applied to higher-value, high-risk items based on theft trends observed.' The company did not respond to the question of what is most shoplifted, how rates of shoplifting have changed, what the baby formula shoplifting rates are or what spurred the Shoprite chain to begin locking up baby formula. None of the other chains, including Pick n Pay and Clicks, responded to requests for comment. South African crime statistics show 9,833 shoplifting incidents from October to December 2024, 27% less than the same period in the previous year. Instances stay relatively stable, from about 10,000 to 13,000 over the years. National Child Protection Week (29 May to June 5) raises awareness of the rights of children as articulated in the Constitution and the Children's Act 38 of 2005. Realities of raising children Marion Beeforth, the project manager at Well Being Africa, a maternal and infant NGO, said South African families are separated over provinces due to work, with single-parent families being predominant. Formula is often introduced at 11 to 14 weeks, Beeforth said. To keep stomachs full, foods such as potatoes and porridge starches are added. Fieldworkers at Well Being Africa had seen bottles diluted by water, or mothers giving bottles less frequently. 'From data provided by the Grow Great campaign, focused on halving the rate of stunting by 2030, we know that moms opt to give babies who are six months or older foods like grains, roots, tubers, soft porridge, pap, water, juice and tea,' said David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust (DGMT). Grow Great community health workers had also seen formula watered down and mothers sacrificing their own food. 'We have seen disturbing early results from community outreach programmes that new moms are more likely to suffer from acute malnutrition than when they were pregnant,' Beeforth said. 'Some mothers breastfeed and then, instead of introducing a complementary diet that consists of starch, iron and vitamin A-rich food, [the] infant only has breastmilk and porridge or other starch foods.' 'When the prices of core foods increase, families are forced to sacrifice protein-rich items like meat, eggs, peanut butter, maas and dairy,' said Harrison, citing DGMT's implementing partner, Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJ). The barriers to breastfeeding Grandmothers often do not have IDs. Families struggle to pay for two generations of IDs so the grandchild can receive the Child Support Grant, so children miss out on months of benefiting from the grant, Beeforth explained. 'For foreigners there is no grant, and the struggle is sometimes even more, as money is also sent home for the care of older children. 'The environment is not supporting mothers to breastfeed,' she emphasised. 'Having a stable five-day job in the informal job market is often not available after giving birth. A domestic worker soon finds someone else is in her job, same for retail staff, hourly employed or short-term contracts.' Formula was introduced when mothers sought jobs, but the job paid for formula and very little else. Between nappies and infant feeding, the R560 grant fell short for most families. 'We know from the Household Affordability Index, published by PMBEJ, that the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet was R973,25 in April 2025, which is 74% more than the Child Support Grant of R560,' Harrison said. To counter this, a basket of basic protein-rich staples needed to be made more affordable through a joint effort between the government and food retailers. 'What about the transport money for monthly clinic visits for immunisation and growth monitoring? Once the child reaches 18 months, most parents stop clinic visits and the necessary vitamin A and deworming for optimal growth fall behind,' Beeforth said. 'With global profit margins exceeding 20%, the South African government should cap the manufacturer and retail margins on infant formula at 10%, still a sufficient incentive for stores to stock it. At the same time we must keep communicating that breastmilk is far better than any infant formula,' Harrison emphasised. How breastfeeding curbs malnutrition 'Moms who are breastfeeding often have higher energy needs, and if they can't afford enough food they may struggle to produce enough milk or continue breastfeeding,' Harrison said. 'This raises the risk of early malnutrition in their newborns, which, if persistent, can lead to stunting.' Clinics refer malnourished children to hospitals. Once the child returns home, follow-ups are needed to prevent a relapse, Beeforth explained. It was costly for families to visit a child in hospital or for mothers to arrange care for older children. 'The spotlight should again fall on making a healthy diet affordable during conception, pregnancy and throughout the life cycle. Eating less ultra-processed food is desirable for the whole family, yet it seems to be the most affordable. 'Breastfeeding is essential as the only food in the first six months. How can we achieve this?' Through maternity leave, mothers and babies staying together during this period, and supporting mothers to express milk, Beeforth said. 'It should be achievable. Yet, the influence of the marketing formula and job environment and policies further eroded the breastfeeding culture among even the populations who had high breastfeeding rates,' she opined. DM
IOL News
26-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Pick n Play: Retail giant unveils sizzling new App to swipe back market share
South Africa's second-largest retailer, Pick n Pay, has reached its most significant milestone yet as it continues to try grab market share from rivals Shoprite and Woolworths. South Africa's second-largest retailer, Pick n Pay, has reached its most significant milestone yet as it continues to try grab market share from rivals Shoprite and Woolworths. The loss-making company is in the midst of a turnaround strategy, which targets operational and financial recovery. In releasing its results for the 53 weeks to March 2, it said that its headline loss – a key metric for analysts – improved from minus 172.3c to negative 61.54c. As part of its digital focus, it has launched a new app that pulls together its on-demand delivery service asap!, Smart Shopper loyalty programme, and value-added services into a single, next-generation platform. 'This new app is the biggest moment for Pick n Pay Online since we launched asap! in 2020' said Enrico Ferigolli, retail executive of Online at Pick n Pay on Monday, noting that this is the culmination of a four-year journey. 'Pick n Pay remains focused on innovation, adaptability and income diversification through its popular Smart Shopper programme, growing Retail Media capability, and omnichannel platforms, while expanding value-added services revenue,' it said in a statement to investors on Monday morning. Pick n Pay's new app – 'Pick n Pay asap! and Smart Shopper' – works off an AI platform and has a new user experience that targets making consumers' lives easier when they shop, save through Smart Shopper, and get their groceries delivered. These improvements are expected to drive strong growth in the coming year. The integration of AI means that it will learn from customers' shopping behaviour, offering smarter product suggestions and streamlining the browsing experience. 'Our AI helps customers find what they need faster or discover products they'll love,' said Ferigolli. The original asap! app will remain live until the end of September 2025, before the new app becomes the primary one. Despite making a loss, at Group level, with Pick n Pay as a segment yet to return to profitability, it noted in its annual results that its Pick n Pay's Online business, primarily asap! and PnP groceries on the Mr D app, continues to perform 'strongly'. Online retail sales for the 53 weeks to March 2 grew 48.7% year-on-year, with on-demand growing at 60%. 'Thanks to scale gains, the Online business is now profitable on a fully costed basis,' it said. In a statement to shareholders, the group said that 'while much has been achieved, the challenge to return Pick n Pay to a profitable and future-fit business remains very real'. It added that 'the path back to break even, profitability and ultimately long-term sustainable success is clear; and will be executed on in a considered and methodical manner'. CEO Sean Summers, brought out of retirement to fix the entity, said 'we have started to give much-needed attention to our core Pick n Pay supermarkets and we are pleased to see the early results in reporting positive like-for-like sales growth, notwithstanding the sustained pace of new store openings by our competitors in a restrained and competitive market'. However, getting its Pick n Pay unit right will take longer than expected as it's focusing on building 'retail muscle memory for long-term success'. It now expects this segment will reach breakeven in the 2028 financial year. Summers' contract has been extended to the end of the 2028 financial year. Its new app offers a basket limit of 45 items, access to over 35,000 products, and has grown to 600 locations across South Africa. In addition to the new app, – its online shopping portal – will relaunch with the asap! on-demand service rolling out from June, with streamlined logistics allowing the company to lower the delivery fee to just R35. 'This is just the beginning. In the coming months, we'll introduce even more exciting features to make shopping Pick n Pay easier and launch features to resolve customer queries faster, improving the overall delivery experience,' said Ferigolli. New features on the app, built for iOS and Android, include being able to select their preferred store, load multiple payment cards, place multiple orders at once, schedule deliveries outside of the standard one-hour window, and track orders. Customers can now earn and spend Smart Shopper points with every order, and soon, they'll be able to redeem personalised discounts and Club benefits. IOL
