Business
Walmart’s 21 new stores shake up South Africa’s grocery war
South Africa’s grocery wars just got more intense.
International retail heavyweight Walmart is deepening its footprint locally, announcing plans to open 21 new stores across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape. The move places it squarely in competition with household names like Checkers, Pick n Pay, and Spar, and signals that the brand is not here for a soft launch. It is here to scale.
The expansion kicks off this weekend with the opening of its third South African store at East Point Shopping Centre in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni. The Boksburg store follows earlier launches in Clearwater and Fourways, both of which the company says built strong early momentum.
A different pricing play
What makes this expansion interesting is not just the number of stores, but the strategy behind them.
Walmart is leaning hard into its Every Day Low Price philosophy. Instead of short bursts of flashy promotions, the retailer promises consistently low total basket costs. According to Massmart executive André Steyn, independently published price comparisons show that Walmart has delivered a lower total price on comparable everyday essentials. These comparisons looked at typical household staples such as bread, milk, eggs, rice, sunflower oil, and sugar.
That messaging lands at a time when many South Africans are scrutinising every rand at the till. Shoppers have grown used to chasing specials and weekly deals. Walmart’s pitch is simpler. Come in any day and expect your trolley to cost less overall.
The company says Boksburg customers can shop on their own schedule with confidence that the total cost of their basket will remain competitive.
More than just groceries
Step inside, and the format feels familiar yet broad. Similar to Makro, Walmart’s offering combines fresh food and groceries with family and home entertainment products. The draw is convenience: a wide assortment under one roof, from pantry staples to small appliances.
That one-stop-shop appeal is something South African shoppers understand well. In suburbs where time is tight and traffic is real, fewer stops matter.
Taking on Sixty60 and Asap!
Walmart is not limiting its ambitions to bricks and mortar.
The retailer is also pushing into the fast-growing online grocery space, taking direct aim at Checkers Sixty60, Pick n Pay Asap! and Woolies Dash. Customers can download the African version of the Walmart shopping app and access a 60-minute express delivery service.
Early signs suggest the model is resonating. The company reports that 99 percent of first-time online customers indicated a firm intention to place repeat orders, spanning fresh food, groceries, adult beverages, and small appliances.
Off the back of that demand, Walmart has extended its express delivery radius from 5 kilometres to 8 kilometres from its stores. In densely populated metros like Johannesburg and Cape Town, that added reach could make a significant difference.
A long-term play for national reach
The 21 proposed stores mark only the beginning of what Walmart describes as a broader national expansion. Building on what it calls strong momentum from Clearwater and Fourways, the group is positioning itself as a serious long-term contender in South Africa’s retail landscape.
For shoppers, the immediate question is simple: Will the everyday low price promise hold up as the network grows?
If it does, South Africa’s established grocery giants may find that this new chapter in the retail battle is less about once-off specials and more about who can genuinely deliver the lowest total at the till.
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Source: Daily Investor
Featured Image: TechCentral
