Checkers Sixty60 Transforms South African Retail with Digital Expansion

Shoprite continues to revolutionize South Africa’s retail sector with its ongoing digitisation strategy, making Checkers Sixty60 a dominant player in on-demand grocery and general merchandise delivery. The company’s latest financial results for the six months ended 29 December 2024 highlight the massive strides taken in technology and customer convenience.

Shoprite’s Digital Transformation and Expansion

Shoprite CEO Pieter Engelbrecht emphasized the company’s technological advancements, particularly the rollout of a new point-of-sale system across its 2,450 stores. This seamless installation required 60,000 hours of work during off-hours to avoid disruptions.

The ShopriteX digital team, in collaboration with Checkers store operations and the Pingo logistics team, successfully completed millions of Checkers Sixty60 orders. In addition, they re-platformed the Sixty60 tech stack, enabling same-day general merchandise delivery, a complex task completed ahead of the crucial Black Friday and Christmas shopping periods.

Engelbrecht expressed gratitude for the unwavering customer support:

“We remain incredibly humbled by the brand advocacy from Checkers Sixty60 customers who continue to demonstrate their love of Sixty60 in the most priceless ways possible.”

Checkers Sixty60: More Than Just Groceries

While still in its early days, the expansion of Checkers Sixty60 to include over 10,000 general merchandise products is expected to reshape how South Africans shop. This move strengthens its market position and increases its contribution beyond grocery delivery.

Shoprite’s in-house fresh produce business, Freshmark, has also benefited significantly from its partnership with Discovery Vitality’s HealthyFood program, driving fresh produce sales and increasing market share.

Strategic Expansion into New Categories

Shoprite is further diversifying its offerings with adjacent retail categories, including:

• Petshop Science: Now at 129 stores, with a remarkable 56.9% increase in sales.
• Uniq Clothing by Checkers: Eight new stores were opened, bringing the total to 30.
• Checkers Outdoor: Four additional stores launched, totaling 26.

Engelbrecht highlighted that although these categories are still growing, they play a crucial role in the company’s long-term strategy and ecosystem.

Customer Savings and Financial Performance

Shoprite’s Xtra Savings rewards program delivered R8.9 billion in savings to customers, further strengthening its value proposition. The company’s financial results reflect its strong market position:

Financial Performance Overview

Checkers and Checkers Hyper, including Checkers LiquorShop, reported a 13.6% increase in sales to R47.6 billion, contributing 44.2% to the Group’s core Supermarkets RSA segment. Checkers Sixty60 saw an impressive 47.1% growth in sales, with the number of stores offering the service rising from 505 in H1 2024 to 601.

The group’s trading profit surged by 13.5%, delivering a 5.7% trading margin, while EBITDA grew by 16.7% to R11.7 billion. During this period, Shoprite opened 205 stores, expanding its total footprint to 3,417 stores. The group also added 2,989 new jobs, solidifying its position as South Africa’s largest private-sector employer with over 163,000 employees.

Checkers Sixty60’s expansion and Shoprite’s continued digital investments signal a significant transformation in South Africa’s retail sector. As the company integrates more general merchandise into its platform and expands its adjacent formats, it is poised to redefine convenience shopping for millions of South Africans.

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